


Strange

by HamiltonTrashPanda



Series: Strange and Other Related Fics [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: BAMF Percy Jackson, Blood and Gore, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/F, F/M, Grover (Percy Jackson) is a Good Friend, High School, Honestly everyone here needs a hug, I have no regrets, Jason and Annabeth need some sleep, M/M, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug, Percy Jackson is a Mess, Percy honestly couldn’t give two shits anymore, Piper McLean is a Good Friend, Piper and Percy are BFFS, Post-Tartarus (Percy Jackson), Someone please punch the villans, Someone please tell me to stop being so edgy and make this fic happier please, Swearing, Thanks, Things just get worse and worse after a point, Violence, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:27:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 35,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23273185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamiltonTrashPanda/pseuds/HamiltonTrashPanda
Summary: Theres something off about Perseus Jackson.He's different. He rubs everyone the wrong way.He doesn't fit in at all at Goode High. He hides in the corner, and watches.It unnerves everyone he meets.Maybe its his scars and bruises. Maybe its the dark looks that pass over him sometimes. Maybe its the stare he gives that makes your spine crawl.Maybe its the way his presence makes you want to back away slowly.Whatever it is, it makes him very, very strange.Whatever is with him, whatever he hides, it makes Goode High stay far away from him.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Jason Grace & Percy Jackson & Piper McLean, Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Juniper/Grover Underwood, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Paul Blofis/Sally Jackson, Percy Jackson & Piper McLean, Piper McLean/Jason Grace, Thalia Grace/Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, leo valdez/calypso
Series: Strange and Other Related Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880467
Comments: 357
Kudos: 992





	1. Chills and Research

**7:30 am, Wednesday, September 1st 2010**

When Percy Jackson first came to Goode High, everyone knew something was off about him. 

Before people even met him, there were rumours about him. About how he blew up the band room during the summer. About how he had been kicked out of every school he had ever stepped into. About how he was the same Percy Jackson who blew up the gateway arch a few years back. Everyone braced themselves for a punk, a delinquent.

But nothing could prepare them for the actual Percy Jackson.

He was not a punk or a delinquent, he was something else, something worse. There wasn’t a name for what he was, but whatever he was, it set everyone the wrong way.

He didn’t look like much. He always wore hoodies with the hood always up, jeans with rips that didn’t look like they were originally part of the jeans and a pair of well-worn converse. He was tall, yes, but he wasn’t ridiculously tall. 

But despite his outward appearance, it was blatantly obvious that he was a lot more than he seemed. When he passed people in the hallways, power seemed to ooze out of him, sending chills up everyone’s spine.

But as the months passed, people forgot about Percy Jackson. He faded into the background. He was no longer an enigma, he was just another student in Goode High. 

That was until Percy Jackson disappeared almost halfway through his sophomore year.

He didn’t return until his junior year, and when he did, Percy Jackson was again thrust into the spotlight. Over the months he was gone, he had gotten taller, and so much more intimidating.

And the strangest thing was, he didn’t return alone.

It was on the chilly morning of Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 that he had driven in on a black motorcycle, flanked by three other people also driving motorcycles. Immediately heads turned at the sight of the motorcycles, due to the rarity of them at the school.

And people felt a chill run up their spines when the person on the front of the procession removed his helmet. It was Percy Jackson. But...it didn’t really look like him.

First of all, this guy was at least 6’ 5”, which meant if this was Percy, he would have had to grow at least 8 inches in the time he had been gone. Additionally, his hair was longer, being tied in a small ponytail and the nape of his neck. There was also a streak of white hair that stood out against his black hair.

People at first didn’t think it was him, instead of his doppelgänger. But when he looked up and they saw the green eyes, they were certain it was him.

The rest of his crew removed their helmets as well, revealing another guy and two girls. Together the group walked into Goode High for their first day of school.

———

Kate Reeds was an integral part of the flow of Goode High. While she didn’t run any clubs, didn’t captain any teams, she was one of the most important people to be on the good side of.

The reason why was a simple one; she could figure out everything about anyone. Many people used her services to get dirt on school rivals, and multiple times the popular crowd would use her to get info on others.

While many used the junior girl for their own personal gain, she had her own agenda and motives. There were a handful of people who Kate was determined to get more info on. At the top of the list was Percy Jackson.

Her info on her mysterious classmate was frustratingly sparse. She knew that his stepfather was the English teacher Paul Blofis. She knew that he’d been kicked out every school he’d been to, and was the subject of a nationwide manhunt back in the summer of 2005.

But besides those facts that were pretty much common knowledge, she knew almost nothing about him. He didn’t show up on any social media platforms, which made her think he didn’t even have a phone. She couldn’t even use his friends to judge his personality, because as far as she knew, Percy Jackson didn’t have friends.

So when he rocked up on a motorcycle flocked by three strangers, after being missing for months, she knew that her time had come. This was her chance to learn everything she ever wanted. One last hurrah, her final conquest. Well maybe not final conquest, or last hurrah but close enough. 

The first thing she did was learn who his companions were. That was easy, all she needed to do was ask around the school to learn the names. After a bit of hassle, and thorough investigation she got the names from a junior who had been in their homeroom. Annabeth Chase, Jason Grace, and Piper McLean.

Her investigation had to be held off till lunch, seeing as she had no time to research the new kids until then. But as soon as she finished her meal, she bolted to a secluded corner of the school where she could research in peace.

She first looked up Annabeth Chase. After a bit of searching, she found an article about the manhunt from 2005. It talked about how Percy Jackson had been kidnapped along with two others; Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase. Bingo.

Then she moved onto looking up Jason Grace. The only thing she found was an article from nearly 14 years ago saying how the two children of Beryl Grace, a famous TV star who’d died a few years back, were missing. There were two photos attached, one of a girl Kate presumed to be Thalia, and a boy who was probably Jason. She zoomed in on the photo of Jason, and after a moment of consideration decided they were one and the same.

Finally she researched Piper McLean. The last name sounded vaguely familiar so she was sure she was bound to get a lot of information. And she was not disappointed. Hundreds of articles popped up, talking about the daughter of Tristan McLean. She tapped on the first one, which was an article about how Tristan's daughter had been sent away to a school in Nevada.

In the middle of the article there was a photo of her, and Kate felt happiness burst inside of her because that girl looked exactly like the girl who had pulled up this morning.

She mulled over her discoveries during the third block. Percy Jackson was apparently friends with a missing person, who happened to be the son of a dead and famous actress, the daughter of the most famous actor in the world, and a mysterious girl who had been kidnapped with him when they were 12.

Kate grinned deviously. Oh she could work with this.

———

Damien Mills wanted nothing more than to graduate from Goode High. He was more than ready to move on from the private high school with its stupid uniforms, and its even stupider rules.

Unfortunately for him though, he was only in his Junior year, so he still had almost two years left at this hell hole. He silently wished that God would speed up time, and get him out of here.

It wasn’t that Damien hated school, or even learning. In fact, he actually really liked learning things, especially when it came to band and playing the drums and guitar. It was that he wanted to forge his own path, maybe make some music and get loaded off of the back of it.

It was September 1st, the start of his third year at Goode High, and already Damien was ready to graduate. Despite being apart for almost three months, absolutely nothing had changed. Everyone still had the same attitude, there was still that feeling of everything sucking.

Damien was unloading things from his bag when his best friend Cameron Dales came up to him, blushing furiously. “Dude! Guess what! I finally asked out Sydney last weekend. Sorry, I didn’t get to tell ya sooner but yeah!”

Damien laughed. Cameron and Sydney had had crushes on each other for months, and it seemed that Cameron had finally had the guts to ask her out. The two fist-bumped and Damien told Cameron, “That's great man. Glad you finally confessed your love for her, I don’t I could suffer through you guys saying that you don't like one another anymore.”

Cameron shoved him “Says the guy who’s had a crush on Kate Reeds since he saw her.”

Damien felt his cheeks heat up “She doesn’t like me back man, it's a lost cause.”

The two fell into friendly banter complete with a few shoves here and there whenever the other said something stupid or embarrassing. Halfway through Damien telling Cameron about how he had gone to Germany over the summer to visit family, Cameron sucked in a breath then spoke, “Holy shit. Is that who I think that is?”

He turned the way Cameron was pointing, to see a slightly familiar guy walking through the door. There was a blonde guy and girl with him, along with a Native American looking girl. It took him a moment, but then he recognized the teen. “Is that Percy Jackson? I didn’t think he was coming back here.”

He saw Cameron nod out of the corner of his eye, looking as dumbstruck as he felt. He saw Kate Reeds, who was directly in front of him, look up in interest and smirk when she saw Percy.

Damien felt slightly jealous. He had always thought that Kate had a crush on Percy, although Percy definitely didn’t reciprocate those feelings. And judging, by the way, Percy was holding the blonde girl's hand, he was taken.

Damien watched the group, who were laughing and shoving one another in the same way he and Cameron had been not five minutes ago, walk down the hall. 

Damien had never really paid attention to Percy Jackson. But when Percy walked through those doors and walked through the halls, it was almost as if that was all he could do. Power and danger radiated from that group and all Damien could do was stand frozen in place as they disappeared down the hall.


	2. Full Names and a Challenge

**1:55 pm, Wednesday, September 1st 2010**

It was Madeline Thomas’ first year of teaching at Goode High, and she was determined to make it a good year. She was the new teacher for Goodes AP Ancient History course. 

She had earned her PhDs in Ancient History and Teaching only the year before at Harvard and was the valedictorian of her class. In her mind, she is undoubtedly the best candidate for the job.

Madeleine prided herself on her knowledge, but unfortunately over the years she had grown cocky and arrogant, believing that no one would know more than her.

So she stood at the front of the stuffy classroom on September 1st, watching her class of juniors trudge in for the last block of the day. It was the Juniors A class. She checked her watch. Two minutes till the bell. At one minute to the bell, a hooded student rushed in and sat in the back. 

She paid him no heed.

The bell rang, signalling the start of class. She clapped her hands, bringing attention to her. “Hello, class!” She chirped cheerfully.

She was met with an unenthusiastic mumble, and she resisted the urge to growl. Brushing aside her class's response, she picked up her clipboard. “I’m going to start today's class by calling roll. When I say your name please say here, nothing else.”

There were only 11 juniors in the class, which at a school that normally had about 25 students per class made it one of the smallest. Fortunately, it also meant roll took up very little time. Many of the students, however, mumbled their responses refusing to meet her eyes. She bristled with every disrespectful reply.

“Now I have a seating chart assigned. Do not grumble or argue, I don't wanna hear it. Everyone please grab your books and go to the back of the class. I will point to a desk, and call your name. That is your desk for the remaining term.”

The seating chart was her pride and joy. She put the students who were bound to be trouble in the front row, so she could keep her eyes on them. She put the more well behaved, and seemingly smarter students in the back. She figured that the further away they were, the less she would have to deal with students who thought they knew more than her. 

She walked to the desk at the right. She laid her hand on it and called “Perseus Jackson.”

“Just Percy.” A voice replied. 

“Pardon me?” She said, looking up to face the offender. It was a tall guy, with his hood up. His chin was up ever so slightly, and she nearly growled at his disrespect and rudeness. 

“Don’t call me Perseus. Call me Percy.”

“If you wanted me to call you something other than Perseus, you should have told me when I called roll. But you have missed your chance, and I need you to sit down now Perseus.” She chided.

“Well maybe you should have told me that! I don’t like being called Perseus, and I’m not gonna answer to you if you call me that.” He stalked over to her while he talked, getting up in her face.

“Sit. Down. Your name is Perseus, and you will go by that in my class from here on out.” She said.

Perseus was trembling, eyes murderous and fists at his side. Mrs. Thomas moved onto the next desk, and ignored him; he let loose a low growl and sat in his chair. He sat there with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes drilling holes into the whiteboard. 

By this point she had finished with her seating chart and looked over at the brooding boy. She couldn’t help but let a triumphantly smug grin crossover her face. It only lasted a moment though before she schooled her features, and launched into her lesson.

While she was handed out the unit pre-test she spoke to him again, right as she put the teat on his desk. “Perseus, hood off.”

He didn’t respond, just continued to glare at the paper. 

“Perseus.”

He growled a low and angry sound but flipped down his hood. She narrowed his eyes at his hair when she finally saw it. There were streaks of grey running all throughout his hair and Mrs Thomas definitely knew the rules about hair dye. 

“Perseus, I expect the next time you are in my class, that you do not have those highlights. It is against school policy to have dye in your hair.”

“This isn’t dyed.” He replied not even bothering to look up from his test.

“Perseus lying isn’t good. Those horrendous streaks will be gone when I see you next, understood?” She said, temper flaring

The knuckles of his hand holding his pencil were white, and he was trembling again. He was staring at the board in front of him, too furious to meet his teacher's eyes.

“PERSEUS!” She snapped, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to look at her. His eyes were murderous and narrowed into slits. “Disrespect will not be tolerated in my class. Those streaks will be gone when I see you again, and if they are not I will give you detention and tell the principal. Do you understand?”

He clenched his jaw, before nodding his head. She looked at his test and sighed. “Why are you only on question 2? We do not have all day Perseus”

He muttered out an answer. “What was that?” She asked.

“I said,” he growled out “That I’m dyslexic.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If you are dyslexic then maybe you shouldn’t be in this class. You're required to do a lot of reading and writing in this class, you are aware of that.”

He stood up out of his chair, causing the chair to clatter to the floor. Mrs Thomas stood staring the teen down, who was staring at her completely furious. “Test me then.”

“Pardon?”

“Test me orally. This unit is on Ancient Greece so let's see how much I know and if I even deserve to be in this course.” The words were spoken as a pure challenge, and Mrs Thomas felt her anger boil up. 

“Fine.” She said. “Name the Twelve Olympians.”

Perseus smirked. “Zeus, Hera, Poseidon,” he squared his shoulders, “Demeter, Ares, Athena,” his smirk grew wider, “Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus,” his smirk turned upwards until it was almost crooked “Aphrodite, Hermes, and Dionysus.”

“Name the nine muses, and what they are muses of.” She said, making sure this question was harder.

“First is Clio, the muse of history. Then Euterpe, the muse of music. Then Thalia,” he laughed lightly before continuing, “the muse of comedy. Then Melpomene, the muse of tragedy. Then there’s Terpsichore, the muse of dance. Then Erato, the muse of love poetry. Then Polymnia, the muse of sacred poetry. Then Urania, the muse of astronomy. Finally, there’s Calliope, head muse, and muse of epic poetry.” He looked at his teacher with a raised eyebrow, daring her to ask her next question.

This continued on for almost ten minutes, and each question got progressively harder and harder. Mrs Thomas was determined to prove that he didn’t belong in this class, and Percy was determined to prove her wrong.

Finally she decided she would trick him. “Who was Horus?” She asked, sure that she had tricked him, and therefore won.

He simply raised an eyebrow. “Horus was not a Greek God. He was an Egyptian god of the sky. He was well known as a protector and ruler of Egypt. The Egyptians believed that their pharaohs were the living Horus. He is one of the most important Egyptian gods out there.” 

She spluttered indignantly, and before she could reply, the bell rang. Percy saluted her, before rushing out of class. The rest of the class filed out and she stood there furious and embarrassed.


	3. This chapter is dedicated to the best goddess ever, a.k.a. Hestia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teens like rumors, Hestia continues to prove why she is the best goddess ever, this random girl (and her brother) tries to threaten Percy (It doesn’t really work though), and Leo saves the day.

**7:45 am, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010**

“I swear it’s the most I’ve ever heard him talk.”

“I heard he called her a bitch!”

“Did you hear? Percy Jackson got into an argument with the new Ancient History teacher. She’s a dick.”

It seemed that all everyone could talk about was Percy Jackson's argument with Mrs Thomas the day before. No matter where one turned in the school you could see a group whispering about the argument. 

But the guy they all whispered about seemed to hate the attention he was getting. People would whisper and glance at him, and his response, along with his friends’ response, was to level a glare at them. 

Within the first few hours of the day people stopped talking about the incident, far too afraid of the glares they may receive. But that didn’t stop people from giving Percy a wide berth in the hallways and didn’t stop the side-eyed glances at him and his friends. 

People were confused about his friends. They were all tall, tan, and incredibly fit. A rumour had gone around that the other guy in the group, Jason Grace, had managed to outrun the fastest kid on the track team the day before while they were running laps in PE. And he did it without even breaking a sweat. 

Some people said that Piper McLean, one of the two girls in the group of four, was the daughter of Tristan McLean. Others said that while changing for PE, they saw that Annabeth Chase, the final member of the group, had scars all over her body. 

But of course those were just rumours.

**10:00 am, Thursday, September 2nd 2010**

Madeleine Thomas was furious. She had gone to the principal as soon as she could, determined to report Perseus Jackson’s behaviour the day before, and maybe get him landed in detention. 

But as soon as she had named the trouble-making student, Mrs Childs, the principal of Goode High, her rant had been cut off. “Look, Mrs Thomas, I need you to understand that Mr Jackson is a” the woman paused, looking for the right words to describe the student's oddities, “Strange case. I know you have only known him for a little bit, but I need you to understand that he is the way he is for a reason.”

Madeleine started to speak, to defend her claim, but Mrs Childs cut her off yet again. “I’m not finished. He’s got a track record a mile long, and the kids got some family issues. Do you know how many times Mr Jackson has been out of school for family-related issues?” She didn’t let the Ancient History teacher answer, and stated, “At least ten. He was gone for nearly half of last year for family issues.”

Mrs. Childs warm amber eyes met Mrs Thomas’ green, and spoke again in a low tone “And you know what else?” Madeleine shook her head. “Those streaks are real like he said.” She stood up and so did Madeleine. 

“Thank you for coming to my office with your concerns, but from now on, leave the kid alone.” She waved the teacher out of the room, and once she was sure she was gone collapsed into her chair. Mrs Childs closed her eyes, and soon enough the principal of the school was replaced with a different woman. 

Hestia, goddess of the Hearth, stood and smiled, then snapped her fingers. The actual Mrs Childs appeared in her desk chair. Hestia made sure to plant memories of the few conversations she had had with teachers that morning in her brain, to avoid confusion. 

Right before she was going to leave she had an idea. She planted an idea in Mrs Childs’ mind- remove the ban on hair dye. 

Better safe than sorry.

Hestia warped heavy mist around her and walked out of the school. As she passed by her nephew and his friends, she didn’t look back. But had she chosen to look back, she would have seen the glances traded by them, and the small smiles they had shared when they looked inside their lockers to see the small gifts from her. 

There was a small box of cookies, with a note that only had the letter H on it. 

After all, the goddess of the Hearth is always watching, and giving gifts to those she loved.

**11:25 pm, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010**

Lunch at Goode High was nothing short of an event.

In all the years that Cameron Dalles had been in High School, there were only barely enough tables for everyone to sit at. The cafeteria was one of the oldest buildings, and the school refused to update it.

The cafeteria was made for a small school like Goode High had been in the first few years of its existence. But in 2003, Goode High was able to expand its population due to the new building that had been made that summer.

And ever since then, the small, crowded cafeteria had become the most hated building in the entire school. There was no AC, so that meant on hot and humid days, everyone was sweating bullets, and eating as quickly as possible in an attempt to get out as soon as possible.

There was a heater, but it broke every few weeks and produced a horrid smell as it heated up, so it was never turned on. Which meant winters at Goode High were particularly uncomfortable.

Cameron scanned the lunchroom again looking for a place to sit, and besides a large gap at the popular kids’ table, there were no seats in their sight. 

They were lucky enough that they could sit there without getting their guts ripped out. Cameron had been on the football team since his freshman year, Sydney was well-liked around the school, and people seemed to like Damien and his music. 

But the three of them had never enjoyed sitting there, especially in recent years. The people there were nice enough, but the table was to drama focused and loud for any of their likings.

He was just about to suggest sitting at the popular table when Damien Mills, his best friend, and Sydney Lise, his girlfriend, said they spotted a table.

It was a table in the far corner and was a noticeable distance away from the tables around it. They started walking over to the table, and Cameron noticed that people were sitting there.

And not just any people, it was Percy Jackson and his crew. Cameron was just about to turn away when Sydney, being as nice as ever, walked up to them and asked if they could sit there. One of the girls, the blonde, said yes.

Cameron felt wildly uncomfortable sitting there. Percy Jackson was bad news. He was a weirdo, a loner, a troublemaker. He was everything his mother told him to steer clear of.

But neither Damien nor Sydney seemed fazed with sitting there, so Cameron sat down with them. He started to eat, going fairly quickly so he could leave this table as soon as possible. 

Sydney, being ever the diplomat, stuck her hand out for an introduction saying “I’m Sydney Lise. This is,” she pointed to him, “My boyfriend Cameron Dales, and that’s” she hooked a thumb towards Damien, ”Damien Mills.”

The blonde girl shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Annabeth Chase,” she pointed to two people on her right, “That’s Jason Grace and his girlfriend Piper McLean. And this dumbass here,” she pointed to her left, “Is my boyfriend Percy Jackson. But,” she grinned “You probably knew that. Seems like everyone knows him.”

“Careful Annabeth, don’t let his ego inflate anymore than it already has.” Piper teased, her strange multi-coloured eyes glittering. 

“Yeah, can't have that happening can we know?” Jason said grinning at Percy who just rolled his eyes.

“Oh, ha ha ha,” he said, gesturing at his girlfriend and two friends, “You're hilarious. At least my ego isn’t as big as Leo-“ his sentence cut off, and the four friends seemed to sit in quiet for a moment. Cameron noticed how Jason and Piper’s hands, which were holding each other on the table, tightened. 

The conversation continued from there, but there were many points where the group would drop a name or two, each with wildly different reactions. Mentioning Hazel, Frank, Nico, or Reyna, brought large grins from all of them, but mentioning Leo brought frowns, and uncomfortable silence.

Cameron soon found himself loosening up, and he discovered that this group was a pleasant company. They talked about all sorts of things. Damien mentioned that he was going to dye his hair again as soon as possible, now that the ban on hair dye had been lifted. He was considering between red and electric blue, and they managed to convince him to get the electric blue. 

Sydney mentioned how she was running for student council president, and Cameron told them how he was set to be starting quarterback this year.

Jason was halfway telling the story of when they had thought Percy and Annabeth had gone missing, only for them to find that they had slept together when someone walked up to their table and cleared their throat.

Cameron turned to see the one person he would never expect. The self-proclaimed queen of Goode High, Lillith Van Wes. Cameron, however, preferred the term demon when referencing the girl. 

She was admittedly beautiful with long black hair, pale skin, and brown eyes. Unfortunately, it just so happened that she was his least favourite person in all of Goode High.

Lillith smirked as the group of seven turned to her, and spoke. Her accent was distinctly not one from New York, which made her stand out even more in a school full of New Yorkers. 

“So you're the Percy Jackson everyone’s been talking about. You know, I expected something,” her eyes raked over him, “more than, this.” She gestured at him. 

Percy raised an eyebrow at her. “And why should I care?” He challenged her. “Should your opinion mean something to me, because it doesn’t.”

She grinned. “Oh I just heard a lot about this weirdo guy, and I wanted to see if what they said was true. Seems like they are.” 

Percy spoke up again. “Again why should I care what you think. Your opinion doesn’t matter, and I don’t give one flying fuck if you think what people say is true. Stop trying to intimidate me, it won’t work.”

Her face twisted into a scowl. “You should care, Jackson.”

“Oh really? Why should I care about what you try to do to me, when all you know about me is based on rumours, and I don’t even know your name?” He said, as he reached into his pocket and took out a bronze pen.

“Well, my name's Lillith Van Wes.” She turned to go but paused a d turned back around. She laid her hand on the table in front of Percy and glared at him. “I heard you were captain of the swim team last year, and you're gonna be captain again this year. Here’s some advice though,” she bopped the tip of his nose, and out of the corner of his eye, Cameron saw Annabeth reach for something on her thigh, only for Piper to stop her. 

“Don’t even try for the team. My brother is going to be captain of the team this year, and the first thing he’s gonna do as captain is to get you kicked off the team. Better save yourself from the embarrassment.” She turned around, just as a tall guy walked over. He looked almost exactly like Lillith, with his jet black hair, pale skin, but instead of brown eyes, he had green eyes. 

It was Lillith’s brother, Cain Van Wes.

Without even bothering to introduce to Percy, he picked Percy up by the cuff of his shirt. He growled into Percy’s face, “You ain’t gonna be captain got it? I don’t want the charity cases on my team.” Percy didn’t look even halfway terrified, but instead, he was starting to look pissed. He was glaring down at the shorter boy, and Cameron started to realize how tall Percy Jackson was. 

Jason stood up and wrenched Percy out of Cain’s grip. Cain scowled. He glanced around for a moment before his eyes landed on Percy’s pen, which lay forgotten on the table. “Oh, what’s this?” He questioned bringing it up to his face. He examined it closely and moved to take off the cap, but before he could even move it a millimetre Percy grabbed the pen from his grip, shouting at him as he did. 

By now everyone was watching the altercation between the two boys. “Oh is that your special little pen?” Cain teased. 

Before Percy could reply, Cain’s feet were swept out from under him, and he fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Behind him stood someone new. He was fairly short, with curly brown hair, and a Latino complexion. He grinned and leaned over the taller boy, who was groaning on the floor. He spoke, “You know, messing with Percy Jackson doesn’t even end well for anyone. If he doesn’t beat you up, someone else will for him.” He looked up for the first time, and Cameron heard gasps from behind him.

Cameron turned to see Percy’s eyes were as wide as plates, and Annabeth’s mouth was hanging open. Jason was gripping the table, and his eyes swam with tears. The most surprising though was Piper, whose hands were over her mouth, and tears were already streaming down her face. 

“Leo?” Piper said, her words slightly muffled by her hands.

“I’m back bitches.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever realise that cliffhangers are really really fun to write? Also its really hard to describe people holding hands,,,like how do I write that???


	4. How does one title a chapter?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy learns that Calypso wasn’t released, and Kate becomes useful to Lilith.

**12:30 pm, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010**

“LEONIDAS VALDEZ.”

“I said I was sorry!”

“You were dead!”

“Emphasis on the was part.”

“I don’t care!”

Jason watched the conversation between his two friends like someone would watch a ping pong match. His eyes went from person to person, a grin on his face the entire time.

They had moved to a secluded corner of the school, and thank the gods, Mr. Blofis had given them a pass from their next class, which was English. Jason had a feeling that he had decided to let them handle it. 

His train of thought was broken when Percy stepped between them. “Okay guys chill out-”

“I actually think Piper should continue to yell at him. It's quite entertaining.” Annabeth cut in, a grin on her face. She turned to look at Percy, and her face shifted from happiness to being wholly unimpressed. “It’s really funny you know when people you think are dead show up and I don’t know- CRASH THEIR OWN FUNERAL.”

Percy rubbed his temple. “Can you just let that go? I wasn’t even dead I was just with-”

“Calypso, I know, I know.”

“Wait what?” Leo asked.

“Calypso, the Titaness. Stranded-”

“Yeah, yeah I know. In fact,” They all turned to him. “Remember when Khione blasted me off the ship.”

“Yes.”

“Vividly”  
“Nope.”

“Definitely not.”

Leo looked sympathetically at Percy and Annabeth who had been in Tartarus at the time. “I may or may not have landed on Ogygia. Then after I blew up Dirt Face, I rescued her and brought her back. She's at camp right now.”

Percy looked at Annabeth. “They promised, right? I’m not going insane, thinking they promised to free her?”

Annabeths eyes were stormy, and her hand was grasping the hilt of her new knife. “They did.”

Percy swore. 

“I’m confused. What’s this about promises?” Piper asked.

“At the end of the Titan War I was granted a wish. I wished that all the minor gods and Hades would be given cabins at camp. They fulfilled that wish, as you know. But I also wished that Calypso, who I had met the year before, be released from Ogygia. Seems like they didn’t follow through.” His tone was bitter, and he spat out his words as if they were poison on his tongue. 

Annabeth put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, and she quietly spoke to Percy in Greek. Percy sighed, then turned back to face his friends. He grinned, and said “Well nice talk! We got to go to class now, so Leo…” he trailed off.

“I’ll just head back to camp. Peace out!” He waved goodbye and took off down the hallway.

“Idiot.” Piper hissed. 

**3:30 pm, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010**

Kate Reeds walked out of her final period, only to be blocked by none other than Lilith Van Wes. She waved her friends on, promising she would catch up with them in a few.

Kate regarded the other girl with a raised eyebrow. “Can I help you?” she asked. 

“Yes you can.” Lilith looked around, eyes narrowing at the number of people watching them. “Just not here. C’mon.” she motioned for Kate to follow her. 

The two girls walked together until they reached an empty hallway. Lilith immediately turned to Kate and said. “I need you to tell me everything you know about Percy Jackson,” she said his name like a curse, and her eyes burned with anger as she did, “and his friends.”

“Can I email it to you? There's not a lot, but just enough that it would be easier to email it.” Kate asked. 

“Yeah, yeah whatever. Just don’t leave anything out, got it?”

“Of course.” Kate grinned. “It’s what I do.” 

And with that, the girls took off in separate directions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait! This chapter is much shorter than I intended but I tried.
> 
> If you want more from me I have a new story up! It’s a one shot book, called World of Monsters. It can be found on my profile. 
> 
> Suggestions are welcome for this story and that one!


	5. Being Famous and in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper hates the paparazzi, and Jason loves Piper

**2:50 pm, Thursday, September 16th, 2010**

Piper McLean was in her fourth and final period of the day, History, when she got the call.

That alone was weird, because she rarely used her phone, let alone get a call on it. So when she pulled it out, and saw it was her dad, who was in LA, dread tugged at her gut.

The teacher allowed her to go into the hallway to take the call, and Piper rushed out, worried. She picked up the phone, and after a second of quiet, her father's voice came over the phone.

“Piper!” His voice was worried, and she could almost see him tugging at his greying hair.

“Dad, what's wrong?”

“Pipes, I have no idea how, but the paps know what school you go to. I have my team on it, and I’m hiring a lawyer already, but right now they can still come.” Piper's jaw dropped and her bag slid off her shoulder and onto the floor.

Piper hated the paparazzi with every fiber of her soul. Since the day her birth had been announced, they refused to leave her alone.

When she was younger, the questions they would ask her were sweet. They would ask about her hair and clothes, and sometimes Piper would answer. But as she got older, they started to ask about the rumours around her, about the identity of her mother, and whether or not she had a boyfriend.

The last time she had been spotted in public was nearly a year and a half before. And the encounter had ended in her yelling at them, cursing them out and telling them that they could stick their questions up their asses.

Her dad had been displeased, not with her, but rather that they wouldn’t leave her alone. So he’d kept her schools and location a secret. They didn’t go out as much, and when they did, it was a short trip.

The paparazzi were one of the many things that had ripped her away from her dad, and she didn’t want them ruining her life again. She didn’t want her friends to be thrust into the spotlight that came with being the (boy)friends of the daughter of The Tristan McLean.

But that too was being ripped from her hands, and she wanted to scream, and break down in the hallway, right then and there.

“Pipes? Are you okay, sweetheart?” He asked, cutting through her thoughts.

“I-I-” tears stung in her eyes, and her voice was thick with emotion.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry, it’s gonna be okay. They're not gonna get their hands on you for long. Can you deal with them for a week?”

“Yeah, I think so. I just need to tell my friends what's going on. Love you.”

“I love you too. It’s gonna be okay, and we're going to get this fixed as soon as possible.” And with that, the line cut. Piper started to make her way back to class, but the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

She made her way to her locker, keeping her head down. She started packing up her bag, thinking about how to tell her friends, when she felt arms wrap around her waist.

The familiar scent of Jason Grace, her boyfriend, enveloped her and she closed her eyes, taking in his smell. She turned to face him, and gave him a quick peck on his lips.

Percy and Annabeth came up, hand in hand. “You guys ready to go?” Percy asked.

“Actually there's something going on I need to tell you.” Piper said.

“Is everything okay?” Annabeth asked, her free hand straying to where her new knife rested in its sheath.

Just as Piper was about to reply, they heard someone speak near them. A freshman was talking to his friend, when he said “The paparazzis outside apparently. Wonder who they're here for.”

Piper winced. Her friends all looked at her, horror donning their faces. 

“Oh, Pipes.” Annabeth said, taking her hands. “Were gonna figure this out, okay?”

Piper glumly nodded her head, and Jason hugged her again. She looked up at him, then at Percy and Annabeth. “You guys go ahead, I don’t think you want them to know we're friends.”

Percy looked ready to protest, but his face fell and he looked glumly at her. He nodded his head, before hugging her tightly, and telling her to be safe. Percy and Annabeth left, and two minutes later she heard their motorcycles tear out of the parking lot.

Piper turned to Jason. “Why didn’t you go with them?” she asked.

“I’m not letting you do this alone.”

“Jase, you don’t understand, their gonna be all over this, and I don’t want you to have to-”

He put his finger to her lips, shushing her. “We do this together. Always.” He put his forehead against hers and she had to smile. Her brave, idiotic boyfriend.

He took her bag and his, and wrapped his arm around her. They were about to turn the corner, in which they would become visible to the paparazzi, when he stopped her and whispered into her ear. “Let's give them the show they're looking for.”

She grinned, and together, they rounded the corner.

For a moment there was nothing, but that didn’t last long. Soon enough there were bright cameras flashing, and people were throwing question after question at her. A roar started to assault her ears, and she tightened her grip on Jason.

When they left the building, the yelling got louder, but it was accompanied by shrieks. She turned to her left and saw a group of teens, around her age or younger, shrieking. They were waving posters and taking photos with their phones. (Why were her ears roaring like this?)

Jason and her managed to make it to their motorcycles with little hassle, and when he kissed her on her cheek, she heard the roar grow louder. She could barely think straight as she secured her bag on her back. But when she put her helmet on, the roar diminished and she could think again.

She nodded at Jason, and they pulled out of the parking lot, leaving Pipers least favourite people in the dust.

At least that’s what it seemed like.

A few moments later, a big black hummer was tailing them.

A memory flashed across her mind. She vaguely remembered the day Princess Diana had died, in a very similar situation to this. She remembered how distraught her dad had been, and she remembered how afraid he had looked. 

It was one of her earliest memories, which was ridiculously fucked up, and she remembered how every time the paparazzi would tail their car, how anxious and afraid her dad would look.

Piper pulled ahead on her cycle, signalling to Jason to follow her.

At the next light she tried to communicate her plan to Jason. She pointed to him then her, then spread her fingers. We’ll split up.

He nodded.

She pointed to a sign then her. I’ll give the sign. He nodded again.

The light turned green, and they sped off. At the turn right before the one she would take to get to Percy’s, she gave him a thumbs up. He nodded and revved up the engine.

The light turned green. 

The two of them sped off. She turned back to see that the hummer was still following her, and she pressed closer to her bike, and sped up.

She reached the intersection and made a sharp turn to the left, and then another turn. If all went well, Jason would have continued forward, and they would have followed him.

She waited for a minute, looking to see if she was followed. When she was certain they had lost her, she continued down the street. 

She reached the apartment garage and parked. She made sure it was in a shady corner, so if they decided to look for her, and looked into this garage, they wouldn’t see her bike.

She rushed up the stairs to the main lobby, and slammed her hand on the button for the elevator. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited, and when the doors finally dinged open, she rushed inside, and pressed the button for her floor.

Once the doors closed, she sagged against the wall. She took off her helmet, and took her keys to the apartment. She leaned against the cool metal, taking deep breaths, and calming herself down.

The doors opened, and she made her way down to the Jackson-Blofis-Plus-Annabeth-Jason-and-Piper-Apartment. She reached the door, unlocked it and made her way to the living room.

The second she stepped into the room, Sally jumped off her armchair, and hugged her. Piper clung to her, letting a few stubborn tears fall. 

Sally guided her to the coach, where Percy and Annabeth sat. She moved to sit next to Annabeth, but she was pulled between the couple. Percy took her bag and helmet from her, and disappeared down the hall.

Annabeth brought her attention to the TV. “We’re watching TMZ right now. We wanted to see what they were saying about this, and unfortunately,” her eyes hardened and her lip curled, “They're all over it.” She shook her head, disgusted.

Sally spoke from the armchair. “They're acting like vultures who've just seen some fresh roadkill.”

Piper stared at the screen. Paparazzi photos of her and Jason flashed across the screen. A voice continued on, “...suspected that the boy that Piper McLean was spotted with is her boyfriend.”

Another voice spoke up. “Yeah that's what we heard. He is yet to be identified.”

They continued on until the commercial break. Piper turned away from the screen, watching the door. During a commercial for some sort of medicine, the door opened and an obviously tired Jason Grace walked in.

He discarded his stuff in the front hallway. He trudged into the living room, and collapsed on the opposite end of the couch. Piper got out from between her two friends, and moved next to him. His arm wrapped around her, and they turned to look back at the screen.  
TMZ was back on. “Today, Piper McLean, daughter of Tristan McLean, was spotted for the first time in almost a year and a half. She was spotted with a guy, who is suspected to be her boyfriend.” The images flashed on the screen again.

“The presumed couple was followed in the streets of New York. At some point Piper split off, and the other boy led paparazzi on a wild goose chase for a few minutes. Eventually they realised that it wasn’t Piper they were following but instead-Wait I’ve just gotten a report that Tristan McLean has spoken on the issue.”

A tweet flashed on the screen and the person started to read. “Today, some of my daughters private information was released. Not only was she put in a compromising position by the Press,” the next tweet popped up. “she was chased through the streets of New York City today. This behaviour sickens me, and I would like to make it known,” next tweet “that my daughter's life is not for you to prey upon. What happened today is disgusting, and all I ask is that you leave my daughter alone.”

They started to chide his statement, saying that the paparazzi were allowed to take photos of people. Piper grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. She sat, holding the remote for a moment, but she threw it to the floor and stalked to the room she shared with Jason.

She walked in and slammed the door, locking it as well. She fell onto the bed, trembling in anger and frustration.

She heard the door handle move, but the person couldn’t get in. She heard a sigh, and then a light knocking. “Pipes?” came the voice of Jason from the other side of the door.

She got up and unlocked the door. He opened it, stepped in, and locked it again. Just as she was about to flop back down onto the bed, but Jason grabbed her arm. He turned her around so she was facing him.

She looked at him, her body slightly trembling as she met his eyes. He looked at her for a moment before he hugged her tightly. She was tense for the first few moments, but eventually her body gave out, and she relaxed into his arms.

She wasn’t sure when the tears came, but eventually she was crying furious tears. Her hands were pounding against him as she cried and maybe yelled, but he just continued to hold her, and soothe her anger down.

She eventually lost the strength to continue hitting things, to continue crying, to continue to scream. She sagged into him, clutching his shirt. He guided her to the bed, and laid her down on the white sheets. He laid behind her, and one hand trailed up and down her back, and the other traced around her knuckles.

“It’s not fair.” She hissed.

“No, no it's not.” He whispered. He placed a kiss at the nape of her neck, and got up off the bed. He moved so he was in front of her. “I’ll call in for you tomorrow okay? Just get some rest.” 

“Okay.” She whispered. 

Piper closed her eyes but opened them again. After a moment of hesitation, she stood up, discarded her pants and shirt, pulled some old sweats on, and burrowed into bed. Jason placed her laundry in their basket, before kissing her.

He turned to leave, but Piper stopped him. “Wait.”

He turned back to her. “Everything okay Pipes?”

“Stay with me.”

“Pipes I’ve got homework to do.”

“You can do it next to me.”

“Pipes, I-” his voice faltered. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Oh okay.” he mumbled. He kissed her forehead. “Let me just go grab my stuff.”

He left the room, and Piper felt like the room had grown empty. But the second he came back in, his bag slung over his shoulder, it felt lively again.

He pulled some textbooks out of his bag, and some paper. He grabbed a pencil and a clipboard from the desk and sat next to her. She fell asleep to the sound of a pencil scratching against paper, pages turning, and her boyfriend right next to her.

**10:00 am, Friday, September 17th, 2010**

The sun filtered through the window, and Piper blinked her eyes against the harsh light. She felt a warm arm that was pressed against her skin. She managed to turn and see Jason watching her.

He grinned as she turned to face him, his electric eyes lighting up.

“Good morning, sleepy.” he whispered.

“What time is it?” She asked, reaching a hand out to trace a scar on his chest.

“Ten oclock.”

Piper shot out of bed, or at least tried to. Jason's arm held her down, preventing her from moving much. “Jason, we-we have school!” she said, trying to move again.

“Hey, hey, hey it's okay. You and I aren’t going today.” He said.

“Why?”

“The paparazzi are still there, and Goode doesn’t want to endanger you or I again. Percy and Annabeth aren’t going either. They're gonna figure out security this weekend, so we are not going today.” He told her.

“Oh.” she said, closing her eyes.

She could feel him staring at her. She felt his arm lift, and his fingers trailed down the side of her face, down her neck, and across her collarbone. They stayed there for a moment, before they trailed to her shoulder blade. His fingers slid under her bra strap, and started tracing patterns there. 

She let out a sigh of bliss, and let herself enjoy the moment. But her good mood started to soil, as she understood the enormity of what had happened yesterday.

“Are you okay?” he whispered.

Piper opened her eyes to see him staring at her, his brow creased in worry. “You looked kinda angry, and you were starting to shake.” he told her.

She looked away, deciding to focus on the fabric in front of her. “Piper?” he asked.

No answer.

“Pipes?”

She stayed silent.

“Love?”

She gripped the sheets, her eyes squeezed shut, yet a stubborn tear rolled down her face.

His hand came to her cheek, where he wiped the tears away. “Sweetheart, it’s gonna be okay. Can you just tell me what's wrong?”

She stubbornly shook her head, and tried to put her face in the pillow, but he held her face forward. She felt his other arm slide out from under her, and felt the shift of the bed that signalled he was sitting up.

She felt more tears fall, and she managed to croak out her answer. “Everytime I have something, something good, the paparazzi come and rip it from my hands. My dad gets close to me again? Nope, I can’t go out with him without being spotted. I get a boyfriend, a private life? Yeah, not any more.” She laughs bitterly.

“And they're all over us. You saw the news last night, that's all they were focusing on. And the press always ruins relationships, and-and,” more tears fall as she continues, but Jason doesn’t move or speak, “I can’t lose you Jase. I can’t lose you.” 

“You’re not gonna lose me. We're together, no matter what.” He says to her. He manages to get her to sit up, and once he does, he holds her tight.

Her legs wrap around his waist, and her hands get lost in his hair, her face resting in the crook of his neck. His hands rest on either side of her bare waist, and his thumbs rub circles into her skin. 

She’s hiccuping as she starts to cry more, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He comforts her in Latin, but she’s not quite sure what he’s saying. But yet, hearing him speak Latin with his deep voice makes her feel so safe, like this is home and he’s holding her.

Eventually she breaks away, and looks at him. He’s handsome, with his honey blonde hair that seems to glimmer with the sun's rays, his blue eyes that always look at her like she’s the only thing they can see. And the scar on his lip, a stark white line against his tanned skin. It moves and stretches when he smiles.

His hand traces a scar on her neck, before tracing her face again. At one point, his finger runs down her nose, and he taps the tip, and says “Boop.”She laughs at the simplicity of it all.

She feels like a normal girl, who's just enjoying a moment with the person she’s in love with. 

She lays back into bed, and turns his back towards him, trying to fall back asleep. She feels him lay down behind her, but judging from the patterns he’s tracing on her skin he’s not sleeping again.

She’s probably not going to fall asleep again, she realises after sitting there for about ten minutes. She asks Jason a question, “How long was I asleep?”

He’s quiet for a moment, doing the math in his head.”Almost eighteen hours.” He says.

“Wow.” she mumbles. “Guess I was pretty tired.”

“Yeah,” he says, pulling her close to her, and kissing her head, “wow.”


	6. Stalk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something goes weird.

**4:00pm, Sunday, October 31st, 2010**

Piper and Jason walked down Main Street, hand in hand. It was late October, and the start of the Paparazzi stalking (They called it following) had started almost a month and a half before.

It was later in the evening, so it was already starting to grow dark.

Piper was glad that the colder weather was allowing her to wear heavier, more covering clothes, without it making her look like a maniac. She could wear heavy clothes, which allowed her to blend in better. 

She unfortunately stood out, with her tall and thin body, and her less than inconspicuous motorcycle. Her license plate was well known by the paparazzi in the city, which led her to having to find an alternative.

The original alternative had just to hitch a ride on Jason's motorcycle, but his license plate had been leaked as well, around two weeks before. They couldn’t both hitch rides with Percy and Annabeth, because the couple had managed to not have their connection with Piper connected. 

Piper wasn’t going to force them into being public figures. Percy had also said that if they connected him to her, and connected him to the national mahunt he’d been the main target in, it could put her in a bad light. Percy knew better than anyone what it was like to have a bad reputation, and he didn’t want Pipers to be even more damaged.

So the couple had resorted to public transport. Piper originally hadn’t minded, but she found herself wishing she was out on her streets, weaving between cars on her bike.

But, it was the safest for the two of them.

Together the couple walked through the city, hands intertwined. Today was Halloween, and a snow storm had ravaged the city two nights before. They were still without power in the apartment, leaving everyone inside feeling cooped up.

So the two of them had donned their coats, and decided to face the cold. Piper was certain that the paparazzi wouldn’t decide to follow her today, seeing as the cold was so stinging, and would ruin any equipment. 

So she and Jason strolled, gloved hands intertwined, down the street. They passed store after store, window shopping as they walked. They would pause at every few stores, and point out what caught their eyes. Then they would move on.

Piper and Jason were laughing and strolling along, when Piper stopped dead in her tracks. In a corner grocery store, there stood a magazine stand. Pipers hand reached out and pulled out a magazine, and read.

** PIPER MCLEAN: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS DAUGHTER OF TRISTAN MCLEAN. **

Her breath quicked and she looked at the photo in anger. It was a photo from her public appearance from a year and a half ago. Her eyes were wide, and she was flipping off the cameras. She could faintly make out the angry tears that had streamed down her face that day.

She looked at her old self. In just a few months she would meet her best friend, then a few months later actually meet her boyfriend, and her world was turned upside down. Her father had been kidnapped, she had learned the truth as too who her mother was, and she had learned that Gaea was rising.

Jason's hand tightened on hers, and she furrowed her brow, thinking. She looked up to see that no one was attending the corner stores counter, so she dropped her idea and put back the magazine and continued on her way.

Jason's arm had wrapped around her shoulders at this point, and she leaned into him ever so slightly. 

They passed by a Starbucks, and together decided to go inside. They ordered some warm drinks, and continued on their way.

Just as Piper was starting to feel better, a bright flash assaulted her eyes. She winced, and threw her free arm in front of her eyes. When the burning seized, she dropped her arm to see what had hurt her eyes.

Infront of her stood a guy around her age. He grinned a creepy grin at her, and Piper could see the black braces on his teeth. He held a phone to her, and she guessed the flash had come from it. Even though Piper had not an ounce of fear coursing through her, everything about him was unsettling.

His grin was extremely wide, his eyes seemed to have a twinge of insanity with them. Her demigod senses sharpened, and her knife, that was strapped under her jacket, seemed to grow heavy and weighted.

She opened her mouth to speak, to ask him what he was doing, when he spoke. His words were almost slurred and he spoke so quickly that Piper could barely understand him, “Are you Piper McLean?”

Piper tensed, and her eyes narrowed at him. “Why are you asking?” She failed to keep the annoyed edge out of her voice, but failed.

He didn’t seem to notice, but he was staring at her like a maniac. Suddenly, his hands jerked out and he was holding a pen and a paparazzi photo of her. She stared at the two objects, eyes wide.

He wanted an autograph.

She didn’t want to give it. She had grown up with her father giving her warnings as to what you did when someone asked for a photo or an autograph. You don’t give it, you walk away, and you get away as soon as possible. 

Lest you turn out like John Lenon.

So Piper did that, taking a surprised Jason along with her. She ran into the closest subway station, which was only about ten feet away from them. 

She got to the stairs and sprinted, taking them two at a time. She weaved around people, apologising every time she bumped into someone. She could feel that Jason was hot on her heels.

She found herself eternally grateful that he trusted her judgement enough to follow her so blindly. They got to the gates, and she practically jammed her metrocard through. She risked a glance behind her, and her stomach dropped. 

The guy was running toward the two.

The gate opened, and she and Jason bolted to the closest train. They jumped on just as the doors were closing. The doors slid shut behind them, just as the boy reached the train. His hands slammed against the door, and he was screaming as the train pulled away.

The train pulled into the tunnel, and Piper turned to look at the cabin around her. Jason was leaning against the door, running his hands through his hair. The people around her were staring. The cabin was silent.

An older woman spoke up. “Are you two okay?”

Piper nodded, leaning her head against the door. Jason shakily took her hand in his, and she looked at him and smiled. 

A new voice spoke up. “You two want to have someone walk you home, cause I’m willing to.” She turned to see a buff, tattooed man, looking at them in concern. Piper shook her head, but gave him her thanks.

They got off at the next station, and managed to get on a line that would eventually, whit a couple of line transfers, get them back to the apartment.

**5:00 pm, Sunday, October 31st, 2010**

Lilith VanWes grinned at the tabloid on her coffee table.

A photo of Piper McLean, was splayed on the cover of the trash tabloid magazine. A shitty headline, suggesting some outlandish theory was typed against the cover as well.

Lilith smiled a cold smile, and sipped on her drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *jazz hands because this is the closest two updates I’ve ever done for this fanfic*
> 
> A storm did hit NYC late October once, but it was actually a year later. But for the sake of this fic, I had it come a year early! Yay?


	7. Fight, Fight, Fight!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy gets in a fight. (Yay?)
> 
> Oh and other things happen, I guess.

**12:10, Monday, November 7th, 2010**

Sydney Lise watched Percy Jackson, and with every moment, her worry grew.

His shoulders were hunched as he looked out the cafeteria window. His strange pen flicked between his fingers, a flash of bronze. His eyes seemed glued to one spot on the New York Skyline, and his food was left cold in front of him.

Sydney, Cameron Dales, and Damien Mills, sat at the same table as him, but it was like an invisible barrier had been placed between them. 

Sydney had known for a while that something was off about Percy Jackson. It was barely noticeable, little things that just barely crossed the line. But this was the first time Sydney had seen him without his group of friends, and his oddities seemed more pronounced.

His eyes were unnatural, swirling with storms. His skin was marred, and something seemed to shimmer beneath it. He reminded Sydney of the Sea; calm yet swirling, gentle but rough, and tamed yet untamed.

Percy Jackson was unnatural. Danger flocked to him like he was its god, and being a part of who he was, was the altar. Percy Jackson held something, an unidentifiable element that set him apart. 

The bell rang.

Percy abruptly got up and dumped his food out. Sydney, Damien, and Cameron follow him. His movements were stiff and jerky, reminding Sydney of a robot.

He walked to his locker, and opened it. Sydney’s locker was on the other side, so the three of them congregated there. They were lucky, they had a free period right now. Cameron and Damien continued their conversation from Lunch, while Sydney continued to watch Percy.

His back was to her, but she could almost see the frustration and loneliness he was holding. There was something there, a thin line, a line Sydney couldn’t see. A thin line between tamed and untamed.

A clear day or a storm.

And Percy, unbeknownst to her, was teetering between the two. Alone and forced to endure his secrets with no one nearby for even one day was breaking him down. Shattering his supports, toppling his platform, bending the bars holding him back.

Sydney's eyes narrowed when Cain Van Wes came. He was alone, a single person, but his mannerisms still made her slightly afraid. Cain looked like he was out for Percy’s blood, and would stop at nothing until it was spilled.

Sydney knew that Cain was jealous of Percy. It was obvious from the way he looked at the captain of the swim team, a position Cain thought would be his, every time he wore the swim team hoodie. Apparently, Cain had made it onto the team but had been kicked off because of his poor grades from the year before.

The season was now over, yet Cain's jealousy had not subsided in the least. 

Cain started to taunt Percy, trying to rile up the other teen. Percy's back was to Cain, clearly ignoring him. Cain continued to taunt him, getting worse and worse and more personal, until he got a reaction out of Percy.

“Heard your girlfriends an utter idiot! Guess the same people are attracted to one another!” Cain laughed. Sydney, along with everyone else watching, knew how untrue Cains statement was. Anyone who had come in contact with her could confirm, Annabeth Chase was wicked smart.

But it was enough to get a reaction out of Percy. He turned around, opened his mouth to speak, and-

Cain punched him.

There was a sickening crack as Cain's fist connected with Percy's nose, and the punch caused Percy to slam against the lockers. Percy's reaction was a strange one, as not only did his hand come up to his nose, but when a drop of blood splattered on the tile, Percy swore.

His eyes looked around wildly, like he was waiting for someone to pop out.

Sydney felt sick looking at the blood dribbling out of the space between his fingers. As more and more dropped onto the floor, Percy seemed to grow more and more worried, his eyes growing unfocused.

Cain grinned, and his words broke Percy Jackson's reverie, “Awww Jacksons gonna stand up for his whore of a girlfriend. How cute!” Percy whirled, ready to attack but Cain caught him off guard again. Another punch found the side of his face, then another one his torso. 

Cain stood there, smiling like a madman at the hurt Percy Jackson who was in front of him. Percy was leaned against the lockers, one hand on his nose, trying to stop the blood. 

Percy's eyes slowly looked up, and time seemed to stand still for just a moment.

His eyes were holding a coldness and a darkness that Sydney had never associated with him. Something burned beneath his eyes, untamed and unmatched. Cain, who was bathing in the mirth of Percy Jackson's apparent defeat, didn’t notice.

Cain swung another punch, but this time Percy wasn’t caught off guard. He caught the punch with his free hand, and squeezed. Sydney heard a pop, and winced. Cain yelped and jumped back, clutching his hand.

That's when Percy swung the only punch he would throw. It met Cain's cheek, and it was so strong that Cain fell to the floor. Percy stood over him, and the words of the strange boy Leo echoed through Sydney's head. 

_“You know, messing with Percy Jackson doesn’t even end well for anyone. If he doesn’t beat you up, someone else will for him.”_

The first time Cain had messed with Percy someone else had dealt with him before Percy could. But now there was no one coming to Percy's rescue, and Percy had stepped up.

Sydney almost wished that he hadn’t, because something had been pulled back from Percy for just a moment. A curtain that had covered the wild edge of him. But now it was on full display for everyone.

Sydney had wished she had listened more to her therapist dad, and his warnings. He would always tell her how to identify the signs that someone was about to lose it, and in hindsight, the red flags had been waving for a while.

From Leo's warning, to the darkness in his eyes. The heavy bags under his eyes signaled a lack of sleep, which always heightens people's emotions. The rumors that surrounded him, specifically the manhunt rumor. 

Rumor was a kind term. Everyone knew that the Percy Jackson that stalked the halls of their school had been the centre of a national manhunt. He was the same person who had been suspected of blowing a hole in the side of the gateway arch, who had been kidnapped, who had been the victim of the worst summer ever.

The boy who had been wild enough to do those things. Who had been brave enough. _Stupid enough_. The boy who had done all those things had not disappeared as everyone had thought. Percy was still filled with a wild force, that no one, not even Cain Van Wes, could combat.

She remembered being twelve, curled up between her dads watching the TV. She remembered how afraid she would be if she was the center of a manhunt, alone and on the run. Nowhere to turn, no one to go to. It was a wonder that Percy turned out how he is.

She looks at Percy Jackson again.

He's standing in the hallway, glaring at Cain, who's gotten up off the floor. His blood stained hands are clenched at his side, and his nose is still bleeding, staining his shirt.

He stands with a malevolence Sydney can’t understand. His shoulders are squared, his eyes are dark, his hands are steady. He looks ready, prepared and trained. The strong scent of salt drifts through the room.

Before either boy can make another move, Mrs. Childs, along with a handful of teachers arrived on the scene.

Cain starts to wail and spin a tail of how Percy had attacked him, and how his self defence moves had done barely anything. 

Mrs. Childs slowly turned to the other boy. Percy's eyes were narrowed into slits, and when the Principle of Goode High asks him to defend himself, he spits out a single word. 

“Liar.”

Mrs. Childs looks around at the congregated students, silently begging for someone to speak up and tell the truth.

Sydney knows she should speak up and defend her friend, but she looks away like a coward. She wants to defend Percy, she really does, but more than anything she wants to stay off the radar of the Van Wes’.

Mrs. Childs sighs, and mutters quietly, “Well I guess I’ll have to get the security footage.” Sydney almost laughs at the slight panic that crosses Cain Van Wes’s face, but she can’t find it in herself too.

**1:00, Monday, November 7th, 2010**

Percy Jackson was slouched in his chair, eyes focused on the barely visible Empire State Building. Or more specifically, Olympus hanging above it.

Percy Jackson barely noticed his broken nose, the bruises on his face or torso. He could feel Cain's glare on his back, spiteful and full of hate. 

Percy Jackson wishes his friends were with him. Annabeth was up on Olympus, working on some architecture stuff. Piper had the flu, and was over at Camp, where she could heal better. Jason had gone to California for the week, and was a replacement Praetor for a few days. Apparently, Frank had gone back to Canada to clean up some family things.

His mom was at a writing conference in Boston, and Paul had taken a vacation to join her. 

So Percy Jackson was alone. 

He didn’t expect to lose his cool so quickly, but without someone who truly understood him, there to ground him, it was almost inevitable. His father had told him once that the sea didn’t like to be restrained, and Percy had never understood his statement so much.

Percy Jackson was an impulsive person. And when someone riled him up, pushed his buttons, he was going to lose it. 

He peeled his eyes away from the window when the door opened again, and Mrs. Childs walked in. She dismissed the teacher who had been watching the two teen boys, and sat at her desk.

Her amber eyes bore into Cain first. “Your parents are on their way.” She turned to Percy. “I called your mother, and while she can’t come, she contacted your father.” Percy's eyes widened and he heard Cain snicker. “Mr. Van Wes, do not dig yourself into a deeper hole than you are already in.” She snapped before continuing her previous statement. “Your mother says that he and your step mom will be coming.”

Percy nodded, and his eyes looked back at Olympus. He was fairly sure that his father would be unhappy with him, but he wouldn’t be ridiculously mad. Percy was likely going to get a lecture about attacking mortals, but he had resigned himself to that long ago.

Amphitrite on the other hand, would not be pleased. His stepmother was a kind woman, but she would be far less happy with Percy punching someone, mortal or not. He had already been knee deep in trouble, but now he was in over his head.

In other words, he was screwed.

Cain's parents arrived first, and they were everything Percy expected. Perfectly displaying the stereotypes of a rich business man and his wife, with the dad wearing a black business suit, and the mom wearing a dress and a string of pearls around her neck.

He saw both of them glare at him, before settling into their seats behind Cain. A minute passed and he heard Cains mom mutter, “His parents couldn’t even bother to show up.” The dad whispered something to her, that Percy couldn’t quite make out.

Percy yet again turned back to look at Olympus, when he saw a flash of gold. His parents had arrived. Oh joy. 

A minute later, the King and Queen of the Sea stepped into the room. His father was dressed more professionally than he was used to, in slacks and a button up shirt. Percy gave him a questioning look, but it was waved off. Amphitrite looked herself, with a long flowing blue dress, a simple necklace with a jewel strung on it, and her celestial bronze and pearl ring.

Percy couldn’t help but think that the Van Wes’ looked pitiful next to the sea monarchs. They looked like how the rest of the New York elite did, with their expensive jewelry and nicely tailored clothing.

But Poseidon and Amphitrite were not only Olympians, but they were the rulers of the unconquerable sea. Poseidon, at least in Percy's opinion, didn’t always look like the king he was. He tended to wear Hawaiin shirts, and Bermuda shorts. Not very kingly.

But Amphitrite was a queen in every aspect of her life. Her dark hair hung around her head in curled ringlets. Percy noticed that pearls were woven into her hair, creating a beautiful look. Her blue dress had hints of green, and it seemed to fall around her like waves. Her brown eyes were cold as she looked at the Van Wes’.

His parents sat behind him. 

Ms. Childs explained what she had seen initially; A bleeding Percy Jackson standing over a collapsed Cain Van Wes. She told them of the sob story Cain had pulled and Percy's response to it. 

She pulled out a tape, and told them that this was the security footage from the hallway. She put the tape in, and clicked play.

The video was black and white, and after some speeding up they saw the scene from earlier today. They saw Percy walk to his locker, sift around for a few moments before Cain came up.

They saw Cain taunt him, and they saw when Percy started to turn. They saw the first punch that gave Percy's bloody nose. Percy could almost hear his parents gritting their teeth behind him.

They saw the next two punches, then saw Percy's single punch. When Cain went down, he could hear his father snort. 

The footage ends and Mrs. Childs looks angry. She slowly turns to the Van Wes family and speaks to them cooly, “Your son lied to me, and for that he is getting a week of detention. Two more weeks, because this is his second warning. And finally one more week for starting a fight on school grounds. Four weeks of detention, do you understand me Mr. Van Wes?”

Cain nods glumly, and shoots a glare at Percy. “You may leave. Mr. Van Wes, you are dismissed from classes for the rest of the day.” Mrs. Childs say. The family files out, each of them shooting glares at Percy and his parents.

The door close and Mrs. Childs sighs as she turns back to Percy and his parents. “Mr. Jackson, I don't want to give you detention because I understand that your actions were merely self defence. But I am required to because, in accordance to the rules of Goode High, this is your third warning. So three weeks of detention.”

She sighs again, “I also have to put you on probation, and put that on your permanent record.”

Percy nods glumly, and he plays with a loose thread .

“Mr…” Mrs. Childs says, 

“Olympia. Poseidon Olympia. And my wife Amphitrite.”

Mrs. Childs raised a curious brow, but did not press further. “I am also required to request that you get your son some sort of counselling. Due to his reactions, and some of his incidents in the past.”

Percy felt like he was about to cry. He's been told multiple times by Chiron, Will, his Mom, even Annabeth, that counselling, therapy will be good for him. The idea makes him feel like something that needs to be fixed, but he doesn’t need to be fixed. He's fine.

He feels his parents gazes on him, and Amphitrite speaks, “We will talk about it.”

“Thank you.” Mrs. Childs said, standing up. Percy and his parents follow suit. “It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Olympia. And Mr. Jackson, you are dismissed from classes for the rest of the day as well.”

“Likewise.” Amphitrite says.

The three of them walk out into the empty hallway. At some point during the time they were in the office, the next period had started. Percy opens his locker, stuffs the things he needs inside it, and pulls on his jacket.

The three of them walk out of the school, and Percy is just about to go to his motorcycle, when his father grabs his arm. “I’ll bring it to your house later. We need to talk right now.”

Percy nods, and they leave onto the New York sidewalks. They make their way to a nearby diner, and step inside. They sit down at a table and order some drinks. The waiter leaves, and Percy is left alone with the King and Queen of the sea. 

Amphitrite speaks first, “What did that boy say to you in the hall?” 

Percy, not meeting either of their eyes, says “Nothing important.”

“It had to be something important for you to punch him.” Amphitrite counters.

“It doesn’t matter, okay?” Percy says, glaring at the table.

“Percy…” his father says.

Percy bites his lip. He’s losing the argument, that much he can tell. But he feels so stupid, because honestly Cain had just called Annabeth some names. His knee jerk reaction shouldn’t have been to punch him.

Percy tells them, quietly, everything Cain said.

He can feel them looking at him, and he wants to curl into himself and hide, because this is stupid, and he was stupid, and he’s to dangerous, and-

“We understand.” his father says.

It feels like a thousand pounds have been taken of his shoulders. He feels like he can breath again, because they aren’t mad and he isn’t stupid.

“But we should discuss her suggestion of counselling.” Percy's shoulders tense, and the breath is knocked out of him again.

He doesn’t want to discuss this, he's fine, he doesn’t need help, he has Annabeth for a reason. His hands, which are resting on the table, are shaking and it feels like everything is collapsing around him.

“No.” he says sharply. “I’m fine. I don’t need counselling, I have-” his voice catches in his throat.

“Percy, what do you have?” Amphitrite says, her voice laced with confusion.

“Annabeth.” he whispers. Saying it out loud makes him the silliness of the statement. Annabeth isn’t going to always be able to drop everything to help him. She has her own life, and Percy can’t take that.

“Percy,” his father ventures, “Annabeth can’t always help you. Counselling will help.”

“I don’t need help!” Percy snaps, his head whipping up to look at his parents.

Amphitrite looks tiredly at him, and Poseidon's face is a mix of concern and a small bit of anger. Percy is heaving, and tears are forming in the corners of his eyes.

Percy lets out a choked sob, and he presses his eyes into his palms, trying to stop crying. “I don’t want to go, I don’t want people to look at me in pity, because I go. I don’t want to be a burden to someone, I don’t want to feel like I have to be fixed.” he said.

One of his parents sigh, and he can almost see them glancing at each other. He hears the waiter deliver the drinks and his awkward, “Here's your drinks!” and “Would you like to order any food?”

“Were good.” his mother says.

“Percy,” she says, “Were not going to make you go. But you need to have something, something that can help you. And if that thing isn’t talking through it, that's fine. But you need something.”

“Yeah, I know.” he says. 

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has nothing to do with this story but in the song Papers (You're not from around here, son...) from Hadestown theres this choreography that I find hilarious.
> 
> So our boy Orpheus is trying to run away, and he almost gets out, but then like five or six people whole ass JUMP him and pin him to the floor. 11/10 do recommend.


	8. Chapter titles are Overated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lighthearted day in Central Park with Juniper and Grover, ends with Annabeth getting an idea.

**4:00pm, Tuesday, November 8th, 2010**

Percy and Annabeth walked through Central Park, hands intertwined. Percy was holding a picnic blanket, while Annabeth was holding a basket full of sandwiches, cookies, and some Cokes they had picked up at a corner store.

They were heading towards the lake, where they had planned to meet Grover Underwood and his girlfriend Juniper, for an after school picnic.

Annabeth spotted them first, dropping the basket to run over to them and tackle Grover in a hug. Percy, having taken the basket, jogged over, and set the blanket and basket on the floor. He then hugged Grover, and then Juniper.

They set the blanket out on the slightly frozen ground. After passing out the sandwiches, all of which were vegetarian, thanks to Piper, they started talking.

Grover was in the planning stages of starting a company focused around preserving the environment. He walked them through some of his plans for the company, and even asked Annabeth if she would be willing to help out if and when she had time.

Annabeth agreed, but did tell Grover that her studies and architecture were her top priorities.

Juniper laughed. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Annabeth.”

Percy smiled, “Yeah Miss Daughter of Athena over here would rather be nailed to a cross than fail school.”

“That's not true.” Annabeth protested. “I just want the teachers to think I actually care. In reality, I could care less about what the symbolism of blue curtains is. That's not to say Pauls a bad teacher, he's great, I just kinda, don't, you know, _care_.”

Grover laughed. “Any AP classes?”

Percy grinned. “I’m taking AP chemistry-”

“-Not surprising.” Juniper said.

“And Annabeth is in AP math.”

“Even less surprising!” Grover said.

“And we're both taking AP Ancient History. It's one of the history courses at Goode.” Annabeth said.

“How's the teacher deal with you two correcting them every five seconds?” Grover said, sipping at his coke.

“We're actually not in the same class. I’m in class A, with Jason, and Percy and Piper are in class B.” Annabeth said.

“It was so funny, when Piper came in. She wasn’t there for the first class, because she was at a new student orientation-”

“-That was the most boring and useless hour and a half of my life.”

“Thank you Annabeth. Anyway, the teacher, who I hate, was like: ‘Why are you in this class, I don’t recognise you, get out’. And Piper sassed her so hard, I nearly died.”

Grover laughed, but Juniper looked confused. “Why do you hate her?” she asked.

“We got into an argument the first day. About a week after, the principal was like, I know she was being unfair, but I’m gonna have to give you a warning.” Percy made a face.

“Wouldn’t expect anything different. Get into any fights recently, Mr-I-Can-And-Will-Throw-Hands-With-Nancy-Bobofit-With-No-Regard-For-Any-And-All-Of-The-Consequences?” Grover asked.

Percy looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah, I did.”

“When?”

“Uh...yesterday.” Percy said, laughing lightly, trying to cover his embarrassment.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “I should have expected he would throw hands with someone the one day he goes to school alone. To be fair, the idiot was asking for it.”

“Why were you alone?” Grover asked as he started to chew on his empty coke can.

“Annabeth had some stuff to do up on Olympus, Pipes is sick, and Jase had to go to California for a bit.” Percy said. 

“Nice, is she okay, and why?” Grover said.

“Yeah Pipers fine. She'll be back probably tomorrow, courtesy of the Apollo kids. Jason had to fill in the Praetor position for a few days, because Frank went back to Canada for a few days. I think he’s flying back tonight.” Percy said.

“I think Paul and Sally are also flying back tonight, but I’ll have to check. I need to ask them if they want to be picked up by us...” Annabeth said, trailing off a bit.

“How’s Olympus?” Juniper asked?

“Gorgeous as always. Most of the major gods weren’t there, some sort of multi-pantheon meeting.” Annabeth said, snapping back into reality.

“So that's why dad was wearing a suit!” said Percy.

“What?” Grover asked. 

Percy told them about how Poseidon and Amphitrite had showed up, treated him to Lunch, and lectured him for over an hour about attacking mortals. He didn’t mention the counselling discussion, not wanting to tell one more person. He had called his mom and Paul, and briefly touched on it. He had also briefly mentioned it to Annabeth while he told her what had happened.

Grover shook his head, smiling, “Only you would get the King and Queen of the Sea to come to your school because you beat the shit out of someone.” 

“What can I say, it's a talent.” Percy said.

They all laughed.

“Hows camp?” Annabeth ventured, after a few minutes of comfortable silence. The group, who had all finished their food and drinks, was sprawled on the grass. 

“The same as always.” Juniper said. “The stolls keep on pranking the demeter and ares cabins, and keep getting beat up because of it. But, Travis and Katie are still dating, by some miracle of Aphrodite.”

“It's my theory that Katie just pretends to be mad, so Travis does it more.” Annabeth said.

“Connors dating Lou Ellen, right?” Percy asked.

“Yup. I like to call it the unholy couple. The amount those two can do while Travis and Katie are too busy locking lips is astounding.” Grover said.

Talking about camp made Percy and Annabeth ridiculously happy. Camp Half-Blood was their second home, the safest place in the world for them.

“You two should come back soon.” Juniper said.

“Well our winter break starts the 15th of December, and ends on the 5th.” Annabeth said. “I’m sure we could find some time to come over.”

“That's a long winter break. That's what, three weeks. Actually it's not that long.”

“Yancy had four weeks.” Percy said.

“Well that's because it was Yancy. They can afford to be out of school for almost a month. The kids there are rich enough anyway, they barely need education.” Grover said.

Percy rolled his eyes, smiling all the same.

“Well it's getting late.” Annabeth said, checking her watch. “We should get back soon.”

The group picked up their things, hugged, and bid their goodbyes. Percy grinned at Annabeth.

“What?” she said.

“Just thinking about how much I love you.” Percy said.

Annabeth was quiet for a few minutes, but eventually she replied. “I love you more.” Annabeth said, as they exited the park.

“Not possible.” Percy countered.

Annabeth shook her head, a large grin on her face. She pulled ahead of Percy on the sidewalk, losing herself in an idea.

Percy jogged back up to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “What's wrong?” he asked her quietly. 

“Nothing.” she said, trying to push her thoughts away. “Just had an idea.”

“Can you tell me?”

“Maybe later.” she said. 

Percy smiled at her, and she smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My mind is a mess.
> 
> Stan and listen to Hadestown and Six.
> 
> I am stressing about summer work while doing absolutely none of it.
> 
> Hi.
> 
> Next two chapters will be short, they're both setting things up but it wouldn't make sense to put them together.
> 
> And do you guys like the new Time and Date thing?


	9. Beep, beep, you went supposed to hear that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I cant summarise chapters lol

**7:15am, Wednesday, November 9th, 2010**

A knock at the door made Piper shoot up from where she was starting to fall asleep, in danger of falling into her plate of pancakes.

“I’ll get it!” She called.

She ran to the door, opened it, excited, to see-

Leo Valdez grinning like a madman at her. 

“Leo!” she cried, wrapping him in a tight hug. She pulled back, beaming at him. “What are you doing here?”

“And how’d you even get my address?” Percy said, walking in with Annabeth and Jason. Jason fistbumped Leo, and they brought him into the apartment.

Leo was introduced to Sally, and Piper and Percy repeated their questions. Leo grinned at them. “I came here bearing gifts. And I got your address of the Stolls. Calypso was going to come as well, but Katie kidnapped her.” He made a face.

“How did the Stolls get my address?” Percy cried, alarmed.

“If the Stolls know where we live, I think that calls for a move.” Annabeth added. 

Sally laughed. “We are not moving, you two.”

“What did you bring, Leo?” Jason asked.

“Well, I’m glad you asked, Mr. Grace!” Leo said, pulling four boxes out of the backpack he had dumped on the floor. He set them on the table, and Percy picked one up, taking off the lid.

Percy's head shot up, “A phone?” he asked, incredulous. 

“Yup. Nyssa and I, with some help from the Stolls and Chris, managed to make the first ever monster proof phone. We're now working on laptops.” Leo said, pride evident in his voice.

“Leo…” Annabeth said, “That's incredible!” Her eyes were bright and gleaming.

“I know, mis amiga, I’m incredible.” Leo said, tilting back on his chair, hands behind his head. 

Annabeth looked at him. “I never said that.”

Leo opened his mouth to protest, but he had leaned too far back in his chair, and toppled to the floor. Annabeth, sighed. “Case in point.” she said.

She glanced at her watch. “It’s almost 7:30, we should head out.”

Percy looked at him, “You’re welcome to stay, man. Just try not to burn the table, it's new. And, uh,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “tell Calypso I say hi.”

Annabeth called from the hall, “Tell her all of us say hi.” 

Leo stood up.”I’ve gotta get back anyway. It was lovely meeting you Mrs. Jackson!”

“It’s Sally!”

“Yes ma’am!” Leo said, mock saluting her.

Piper grabbed his arm, “Come downstairs with us, you idiot, we’re all heading the same way.”

Leo agreed, and together the five teens walked downstairs.

**11:20, Wednesday, November 9th, 2010**

Madeline Thomas did not like listening into students who were talking during her class.

Half the time, it was stupid mindless gossip, that had absoultely no place in her class.

But this conversation was intriguing.

It was between Jason Grace, and Annabeth Chase. Two students, who were associated with that upstart Perseus Jackson, and almost as much disrespect.

Jason Grace was pretty good on most occasions. He was a passionate debater, no doubt, but he was also good at remaining reserved. He was polite, but he was also the cousin of Perseus Jackson.

Madeline didn’t have many issues with him, but his companion was a whole other story.

She was as good, if not a better, debater as Jason, but she was passionate. Her arguments were good, cold and merciless, but she had not restraint. She challenged Madeline on many things.

She had challenged Madeline when she had said that Zeus was a good king. She had brought up the myth in which Hera, Athena, Apollo and a begrudging Poseidon had tried to overthrow Zeus, planning to replace him with Poseidon.

Her argument had been that if Zeus was such a good king, then why was there an attempt to have him usurped. Madeline had said that it had been their biased opinions, and that the four of them had been power hungry.

Annabeth had argued that Hestia was an important goddess. She had argued that Hades was a good man, despite popular belief. She had argued that despite rightful anger, Hera's actions towards Zeus’s mortal lovers were unfair.

And the most passionate debate had happened when Madeline had stated that Athena was unfair to punish Arachne the way she had. Annabeth had gone on a tirade, that involved yelling, some tears, and multiple points in which Jason had pulled her back down and hissed for her to shut up.

Annabeth had ended up storming out of the class, and Jason had run after her.

The conversation was happening during a small partner project that she had assigned for the day. She was making rounds around the classroom when she heard a snippet of the conversation.

“...It's incredible, but how can we be sure it will actually work?” Annabeth whispered as she wrote something down.

“Leo wouldn’t lie to us Annabeth.”

“Yeah I know, I know. But monster proof phones…” and that was the last Madeline heard.

Thoughts swirled around her head, but one nagging thought stayed with her for the rest of the day. _What monsters?_


	10. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate feels bad
> 
> And maybe develops a crush

**11:25, Wednesday, November 9th, 2010**

Kate Reeds nervously pulled at her clothes as she walked over to the table where Percy Jackson and his friends sat.

As she approached, they all turned to look at her, and she had to swallow to keep herself calm.

“Uh, hi.” she said nervously. 

“Uh, hi.” Annabeth Chase, the girlfriend of Percy Jackson, and the scariest person Kate had ever seen said, her grey eyes drilling holes into her.

“I just wanted to say, um,” Kate rubbed the back of her neck, “I’m sorry.” she blurted.

“For what?” Percy asked.

Sydney Lise, a girl in Kates math class, smiled at her. “Here sit down and tell us, okay?” Kate obliged.

She told them about her encounter with Lilith Van Wes. She told them that she had no idea what Lilith was planning to do, so she had given up the information. 

And she told them how bad she felt now, seeing what had been done. Piper McLean had been hounded for months, and Jason Grace had recently been revealed to be the missing son of Beryl Grace.

All because Kate had given Lilith some seemingly harmless information.

She should have known, should have understood. Piper and Jason were public figures now, and had lost their private life because of her. Kate had grown used to being the reason people's secrets were revealed. And she had felt guilt at first, but she had grown good at suppressing it.

But this was different. This wasn’t a small secret of someone, this was private information that could ruin someone's private life. And it was all her fault. 

Kate didn’t realise she was crying until she felt a warm hand take hers.

She looked up to see Piper smiling at her, her multi-coloured eyes gleaming like stars. “It’s okay Kate. It’s okay. I’m not mad, honest. You didn’t know what would happen, and honestly, it's that witch Liliths fault.” 

Kate smiled at her. “I’m still sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jason said. “I mean I don’t like being associated with my mom, but honestly the only thing they know about me is that I’m her son. They don’t know who my friends are, or gods forbid, where I live. You haven’t ruined anything Kate. I mean I can’t go get McDonald's without some stupid Pap finding me, but maybe that will convince me to go less.”

Kate had to laugh. 

There was still a bit of tension, but that was kinda expected. Kate was a fairly popular person, and she had never really interacted with anyone she was sitting with.

There was one boy, named Damien Mills, who Kate found herself liking a lot. His black hair had died an electric blue at the tips, and his skin, which was a light brown, was dotted with freckles. 

He was twirling drumsticks around, suggesting to Kate that he played the drums. At some point in the conversation, Kate learned that not only did he play the drums, but he also played the guitar, he sang, played the piano, and was a part of a small band. 

He seemed to glance at her a lot, and strangely enough, she found herself doing the exact same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bros I'm so excited
> 
> 1) I got THREE chapters written and published in one day!
> 
> 2) The story starts to pick up next chapter, and im so pumped
> 
> Unfortunately I'm going to write for my other fics for a bit before I start that. I have seven chapters left for one until I'm done with one. I hope to get all of those done within the next two weeks. I also have to update another fic, but hold tight my friends, this will be updated soon enough. 
> 
> Im kinda sad because I realise I'm not going to be able to finish all my fics this summer. I cant write every day, and I am taking a vacation for a week, and have to stuff for school.


	11. Walk This Road With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy needs help and it's not that easy for him to accept it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs that inspired this chapter:  
> Delicate by Taylor Swift  
> i can't breathe by Bea Miller

**8:00 pm, Wednesday, November 9th, 2010**

Annabeth knocked lightly on the bedroom door.

“Come in!” said Percy from inside.

Annabeth walked inside and sat on the bed. She felt Percy sit next to her and wrap an arm around her, pulling her close.

“Everything okay?” he asked, “You’ve seemed kinda out of it since we got back from the park. You've barely paid attention to anything the past couple days.”

“Can I talk to you, Perce?” She said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Percy’s face widen in surprise and then scrunch in confusion. He took her hands in his, “Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“Can you promise me that you won’t get mad?”

“Why would I get mad at you, Annabeth?” he laughed.

“Can you just promise me, please?” She said, looking at him.

“Okay, okay, I promise to not get mad.” He sat back on the bed. “What’s your idea?”

“The idea is related to counselling. I was thinking-”

“No.,” he said, his voice suddenly flat and emotionless.

“Percy, can you please just listen to me?”

“No!” He barked out, hands clutching the sides of his head.

Annabeth sat next to him and attempted to take his hand in hers, but he pulled away. “Percy, honey, I’m just trying to help you.”

“I don’t need help!” He shouted.

“Could you just, listen to me?” She said quietly, as she gently placed her hand on his arm.

“I-” he turned away from her, “Sure, whatever.”

“I was thinking it might be helpful if you git a service dog. Hear me out, Here me out!” She said, adding the second part when Percy scowled.

“I’m listening.” He muttered.

“A service dog may help you calm down when you feel something coming on. I know how much you hate talking about what happened, so I think this may help.” She said.

Percy moved so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, back to her. She could barely see the way he was wringing his hands and the deep groove that had been etched between his eyebrows.

“Percy, can you tell me what your thinking?” Annabeth asked quietly, sitting next to him.

“I-I-” he deflated. “I don’t know what to think.”

Upon seeing the confused glance she sent his way, he explained, “Part of me thinks, part of me knows, that this is the best option. But the other part-” his words died, off and Annabeth could see him starting to shake.

She put her hand on his back, “Percy it’s okay. It’s just you and me, okay? Can you tell me what you are thinking?”

“I hate feeling like this,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m a burden, something that needs to be fixed. Like I’m broken and I can’t be normal until I’m fixed. And I want to be normal, I do, but I hate feeling like a broken table that needs to be set right. I’m tired of people thinking that I’m some fragile kid, who’s not okay.” Percy said.

“Percy you aren’t broken, okay? You’re not fragile, you're ridiculously strong and resilient. But you aren’t okay, you and I both know that.” Percy looked at her. “Don’t give me that look Perce. I’m saying this because I love you.”

“I’m saying this because I want you to be okay. And the first step to that is addressing that, no you aren’t okay. And then you take steps from there to get better.” Annabeth said, looking at him.

Percy slumped forward, landing between his arms; which were propped up on his knees. She could hear him struggling to take in breaths, see the tears that streamed down his face. 

Annabeth moved so she was crouched in front of him. His head moved up so his eyes met hers, and she traced the side of her face. “Percy, please.” she said, wiping off the tears that kept coming, “I want you to feel okay again. That’s all I want.”

Percy looked at her, his green eyes swirling with emotions. Exhaustion, Sadness, Fear, Regret, many more. Annabeth smiled a sad smile at him, “I would give the world for you to be happy, Perce. I want to be here with you every step of the way, and this is one of them.”

“Neither of us is okay, whether or not you admit it. It isn’t normal to have nightmares on a regular basis, and if we don’t get help, it’s only going to get worse. I will get a dog if you do. I just need you to walk this road with me.”

“Can you do this with me?” she asked him.

He frantically shook his head, his chest hitching every time he took a breath. “I-I-I-don’t know!” he cried, hugging himself around his waist.

Annabeth sighed, before reaching out to cup his face in her hands. She pulled his face close and briefly met his eyes before she pressed her forehead to his. “You can do this, I know you can,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

“No, I’m fine!” he said for what had to be the hundredth time.

Annabeth bit back her anger. He was lying, quite obviously. He knew it, she knew it. But getting angry and yelling at him would only send him spiralling farther down.

It was a delicate process. There's a level to which she has to be honest-brutally, mercilessly, honest. But she can’t be cruel in her honesty, because Percy will only get worse, and everything she's been trying to do will fail.

She met his eyes, his wild and unfocused eyes. She shakes her head slightly as she runs a hand down the side of her face, and she lets out one last desperate plea, “Percy, please. If not for me, for your mom.”

His hand wraps around her wrist, pulling it away from his face. He tears his eyes off her, turning his face away, but she can still see the tears that leak down his face.

“Percy, I’m asking you one more time, can you do this with me?”

And slowly, he nods. 

Annabeth grins a slightly sad grin at him, wrapping her arms around him. He clutches her tightly as he starts to sob onto her shoulder. He’s accepted he needs help, a small step in the road to recovery. They’ve got one hell of a mountain to climb, but with each other, everything seems possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my two amazing editors for helping me get this fanfic properly edited. I love you guys.


	12. Chapter Titles are Irrelevant

**6:55 am, Thursday, November 10th, 2010**

Percy walked into the kitchen that morning stretching and yawing.

Annabeth was already dressed and was perched on the countertop, talking to Sally while she made pancakes. Percy gave her a peck on the lips before leaning against the countertop.

“Annabeth was just telling me about her idea,” his mother said gently. Percy tensed, still somewhat unsure about the idea.

“Oh yeah?” he said, trying to swallow down his unease, and force nonchalance.

Sally smiled at him, “I think its a great idea, honey. It could really help you.” 

“I know, I know,” Percy said running his hand through his hair, “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Annabeth said tenderly, as he trailed off.

“Difficult,” he finally said, “difficult because I know this is for the best but it’s still scary and weird, and I still don’t know how I feel about it.” 

“Even then,” his mother said, “Service dogs can take months to get. There’s paperwork to be done, and we need to get you two diagnosed first of all.”

“I’m sure we could talk to Will or Chiron,” Annabeth said.

Sally smiled, “Yes you could.” She then called down the hall, “Jason, Piper, breakfast is up!”

The couple came stumbling out, hair and clothes messy, and Piper sporting a less than hidden hickey on her neck. Percy snickered, “Nice going, Grace.”

Jason glared at him, but the effect was lost with his crimson face.

“Less teasing, more eating. You’ll have to leave soon if you want to get to school on time.” Sally said. She gave Jason and Piper a glance, “But do be more subtle next time.”

The couple went red as laughter filled the room.

**11:15 am, Thursday, November 10th, 2011**

Cain Van Wes was in the locker room when he noticed the small scar on Percy Jackson’s side.

They were changing, and while Percy was leaning over his shoes, trying to untie them when it caught the eye of the teen.

It was to the right of some nasty burns, separated enough it couldn’t be from the same incident, but looked just like the other burns. The only difference was it was much smaller, and seemed a few years older than the other burns. It was also almost perfectly circular.

All thought the day, Cain wondered about the scar. Theories about the origin of the scar ran rampant through his head, but none of them seemed correct.

He seemed no closer to a plausible conclusion when he got into the car with his sister Lilith. While she sulked in her seat over one thing or another, Cain continued to think.

They were driving down Main Street when something caught Cain’s eye. Leaning against the side of a building was a man, smoking a cigarette. It was a wild guess, no doubt but maybe…

Cain pulled his phone out of his bag and typed into his search engine. Cigarette Burn Scars. He scrolled through the photos, and the more photos he looked at the more he became certain that the scar was from a cigarette.

But how could he have gotten it? Cain didn’t like Percy Jackson in any way shape or form, but he had to admit that the guy wasn’t stupid enough to smoke. Additionally, he never smelled like smoke, and he had never heard anyone say that they had seen him smoke.

So the scar wasn’t self-inflicted.

Cain racked his brain for a bit until he remembered something seemingly random. A few weeks prior, Cain had looked up the national manhunt that Percy had been involved in. He remembered a clip of some guy, maybe his stepfather, Cain couldn’t quite remember.

And hadn’t the man had a cigarette in his mouth? 

Cain felt his heart speed up as he looked up the video. And there the man was Percy’s stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, with a cigarette dangling between his lips. Cain knew he had found something good.

Something that could ruin Percy Jackson’s life.

Because Percy Jackson, who didn’t smoke, had an old and faded cigarette burn on his side. His old stepfather smoked. Could this man be the one who gave Percy the scar?

He nudged Lilith.

“What?” she snapped.

“I found something about Jackson that you may want to see,” he told her. He then proceeded to tell her about the scar, his research, and Gabe Ugliano and his cigarette.

Lilith looked at him, eyes shining. “Cain, this is, this is, great!” She shook her head in disbelief.

“This would absolutely ruin him,” Cain added on. 

“It would,” Lilith smiled, “You want to do the honours?”

Cain grinned, “Of course I do. Just...not yet. We should wait. Maybe, after winter break?” 

Lilith nodded in agreement, her face alight with devious joy. 

The Van Wes’s would ruin Percy Jackson.

And they would do so with pure, untamed, joy.


	13. The Queens Kingdom

Lilith Van Wes and her brother would be the only people in Goode High who would tear down Percy Jackson.

Kate Reeds, damn that girl, had a chance. A chance to be in the good graces of Lilith but she had stopped giving out info and was now in the same group as Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson did not belong at Lilith Van Wes’s school. 

Lilith Van Wes did not go to school with charity cases. She went to school with the elite of whatever city she lived in. She went to school with the children of the kings and queens of the biggest cities in the USA. The ones who had their thumb, their riches, their power over the city.

Percy Jackson was not that.

He was the son of a nobody. His parents are no one notable. He had so little money to his name, at least in Lilith’s eyes, that he was worthless.

His friends, they could be good, only if they didn’t consort with him. Piper McLean, daughter of Hollywood's hottest star. Jason Grace, the previously missing son of an infamous star.

And Annabeth Chase.

Lilith didn’t know much about her, there was so little on her. The only thing Lilith knew about her family was that her father was a respected author and the rest of her family had died under mysterious circumstances.

But Annabeth was also the heiress to the entire Chase fortune. 

A fortune that Lilith had a feeling wasn’t a small amount of money. Her uncle, before his death, had lived in a nice home. She had lived in an even nicer home in Virginia for a while.

All three of them were wasting their potential at the school, wasting it by being the friends of Percy Jackson.

Lilith Van Wes did not go to school with the poor, and those who hung out with the poor.

She would use what she knew, secrets that she had a feeling Mr Jackson wouldn’t want everyone to know, to drive him away from Goode High. And his friends would go with him, like the loyal bastards they are.

Kate Reeds would snap out of the fever dream she had been living in. The other scum that had consorted with Jackson as well would be changed. They would embrace the popularity they had, the popularity they had barely acknowledged.

Because Lilith Van Wes would make Goode High the school she wanted to be.

Who cared how she did it? Who cared if she ruined the life of Percy Jackson, a teen who only crime in her eye had been being poorer than she would have liked. No one was allowed to stop her. No one was allowed to stop her plan.

Lilith Van Wes would become the queen of Goode High. Her kingdom would be perfect, and no one could do shit about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because there was confusion in the last chapter about how revealing Percy's abuse would ruin his life:
> 
> If it was anyone else, it would ruin maybe their week. There would be talk for a bit, but it would be forgotten soon enough. But Percy Jackson already stands out in the crowd. This is another flaw on him, and because he's Percy Jackson, people are going to talk more. And we all know Percy doesn't want more people than necessary to know about it, so if people continue to talk about it, and no one shuts up about it, I think it would ruin his life.
> 
> You catch my drift?
> 
> Anyway, stan and stream folklore by Taylor Swift.


	14. Can Theyna Please Become Cannon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is totally not a filler chapter dedicated to my faves, Theyna. Not at all.

**5:15 pm, Wednesday, November 16th, 2010**

A knock at the door pulled Sally Jackson from her ignoring the world around her, stopping her from continuing to hyperfocus on her computer screen.

“Coming!” she called as she rushed to the front door. She opened the door to see, much to her surprise, Thalia Grace and Reyna Ramírez Arellano in her doorway.

“Girls!” she cried, throwing her arms around her son’s cousin and close friend. “What brings you here?”

“Sorry to impose Mrs Jackson, we just got back from a quest and we need a place to bunk for a night,” Thalia said.

“Oh, that’s fine! You’re welcome here anytime. But if I may ask, why couldn’t you go to camp?”

“I don’t have a cabin, and Thalia doesn’t want to sleep in a cabin alone,” Reyna said, rolling her eyes.

“You don’t know true fear until you sleep alone in cabin 1. And I don’t want to sleep in cabin 8 if the rest of the hunt isn’t there. It wouldn’t feel right.” Thalia defended.

Sally laughed. “We have plenty of space. I will warn you, Paul has a dinner meeting with some of his colleagues tonight. And it’s here.” Sally gave them a slightly pained look. 

“I’m guessing that why your son, his girlfriend, my brother, and his girlfriend aren’t here?” Thalia said, glancing around the abnormally quiet house.

Sally laughed. “You would be correct. Partially because I don’t think they want to see their teachers any more than they have too, but we can’t risk them overhearing anything. Not that they would do anything with what they may hear, but the teachers don’t know that.”

Thalia smiled. “Gods forbid Percy Jackson sees his teachers out of school. It’s already hard enough for his English teacher to also be his step-father.” 

Reyna elbowed her, “Be nice.”

“I am nice!”

Reyna gave her a look. 

“If you two are done, would you like to help me cook dinner? Gods know I could use the help.” Sally said, giving them her mom look.

“We would love to,” Reyna said, smiling at the older woman.

Sally directed them around the kitchen, ordering them to grab bowls and the necessary ingredients. She heated up the stove and set a pot of water on to boil.

It was Thalia who asked, “What are you making?” 

“Pasta with beef, melted cheese, and some basil. It’s a recipe I learned from an old friend of mine. With some white wine, and brownies for dessert.” Sally told them, pulling out the brownie mix from a cupboard. 

“That sounds delicious,” Reyna said, looking longingly at the brownie mix.

“I’ll make you two some servings.”

“No, you don’t have to!” Thalia cried, not wanting to impose on Sally even more than she had to.

“Don’t worry. I already have to make seven servings for the teachers, and it would be easier to make ten, and us three can eat as well. And you are growing girls, so you need to eat good full meals.” Sally told them, pointing her spoon at the girls at the last part.

Reyna laughed, “Yes ma’am!”

The three women talked about all sorts of things as they cooked. At some point, Paul came in and joined the conversation and helped taste test the food before Sally shooed him away and told him to get ready for the meeting.

Reyna set the table as Thalia told Sally how they had started to date on their quest. Sally had smiled that motherly smile of hers and told them that it was about time they got together.

At some point, people started to arrive. Dr Revell, head of the History department, then Ms Sherald, head of the science department. Then the principal, Mrs Childs, followed by the head of the math department Mrs Trevalt. The head of the art department, Mr Ford, arrived with the director of the board, Miss Quentis. 

Paul, who was the head of the English department, cordially greeted his colleagues and introduced his wife. Thalia and Reyna stayed in the kitchen, quietly talking.

They grabbed their own plates and retreated to the living room before the teachers and Sally entered the kitchen to grab their food.

They sat on the couch, right next to each other, legs pressed together. Sally joined them a few minutes later, sitting on one of the plush armchairs. Sally looked at them with a small grin.

“You two are adorable,” she crooned.

The girls both went red, but didn’t move away from one another. 

Eventually, their plates were cleared, and the girls retired, wanting some alone time. Sally smiled at them as she told them where the guest room was, and where the bathroom they could use was.

They heard the teachers leave as they were sat on the bed. They heard the footsteps of Sally and Paul outside their door as they were sharpening their weapons, and heard each other’s breaths as they fell asleep, still in their day clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to clarify: I am well aware of how Rick interprets the Hunters of Artemis, and that Reyna is ace.
> 
> I am ignoring the 'no romance at all' stance he took for the HoA and going with a different view. I personally am writing it as the hunters being able to have relationships with each other and other women, just not men, kay?
> 
> And for Reyna being ace: Ace people still can be in relationships. Its that simple.


	15. I Feel Like I Can't Write Romance (Sorry in Advance)

**12:00 pm, Tuesday, December 7th, 2010**

Damien Mills had known that Kate Reeds was pretty for the longest time.

It had been the reason he had originally developed feelings for his classmate, but as he got to know her more, she became beautiful in other ways. She wasn’t just a pretty face, behind her was a very kind girl who was one of the nicest people Damien had ever met.

She had been a person who would help people mercilessly tear people down, hiding every trace of guilt as she did. Or that’s what it seemed like to him.

But that wasn’t who she was anymore. This Kate Reeds wasn’t the devious and manipulative girl she had been at the start of the year. This was the real her, the girl behind the suppressed emotions.

Kate Reeds though Damien Mills was a good man.

He never seemed to get angry, not even when a freshman had spilt their food all over him. He had just smiled at the poor kid, and taken off his cardigan and threw it into his bag, assuring the kid that the stains could be washed out.

Kate had had a boyfriend for a few months in her sophomore year. He had been a handsome boyfriend, but someone with a nasty personality. A person that would have been fit, in the eyes of her peers, for the shady side of Kate Reeds.

But for the new Kate Reeds, people like Damien Mills were what she wanted. Someone who smiles a reassuring smile at you when you mess up, someone, who gives you his coat when your cold.

Damien watched Kate as she stood outside, watching the snow as it fell. He jogged over to her, and somewhat nervously, asked her what she thought of the snow.

She smiled at him, wrapping her coat tighter around her, and told him she loved the snow. _Just like I love you,_ Damien wanted to say. 

Because Damien had fallen in love with the girl next to him. He wanted to kiss her, wanted to be by her side until the day he died. She was everything that was good in the world, and Damien loved her.

And maybe, just maybe, Kate had fallen on love with him too. She would never forget the first time she heard him play the guitar, singing a song at the talent show. The way that he had found their group of friends and his eyes had lingered on her the longest, the smallest hint of a smile on his lips.

Kate grabbed a small pile of snow and threw at him. He grinned deviously and returned the favour, and soon enough they were in a snowball fight.

They eventually stopped, laughing and flushed, right next to one another. Damien looked at her as she traced a pattern into the snow.

Kate looked up to see him staring at her, a small smile on his face. Her cheeks went warm, but she couldn’t look away. 

Then Damien said it, his words rushed, “I think I like you, Kate.”

Her heart did a summersault in her chest, and her breaths quickened, “I-” she said, “think I do too.” she whispered, feeling that, that was the only thing she could say without making a fool of herself.

Next thing Kate knew, Damien kissed her. 

One of his hands was on her neck, the other on her cheek. As they pulled away, Damien was crimson, and they both laughed. Breathless, slightly embarrassed laughs, that could be seen in the cold air.

And they kissed again before the bell rang.

As they passed in the hall later that day, Damien’s hand brushed against hers. Piper grinned at her from across the hall, having noticed the gesture. Kate blushed and looked away.

At the end of the day, while Kate was packing her bag, Sydney came up and elbowed her lightly. “You and Damie, huh?”

Kate looked away again, and Sydney laughed, “You two are adorable. Damien was blushing up a storm when he told us earlier.”

Kate had to laugh, but that’s when Damien came up. Sydney looked between the two, grinned at both of them, and walked over to where the rest of their friends were grinning at the two.

“Hey,” Damien said quietly, unsure as to what else he could say. 

“Hi,” Sydney replied.

Damien uncertainly took her hand in his, and they walked out together. As they passed the rest of their friends, someone, it sounded like Piper, called, “You two are adorable!”

They both blushed but didn’t look at them. They descended the stairs, and right before Kate went to her car, Damien kissed her for the third time.

They pulled apart after a moment, and Kate gave him another smile.

“See you tomorrow,” He whispered, before giving her a tight hug.

“You too,” she told his as she squeezed him back. 

And then Kate and turned and got into her car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me an AroAce trying to write romance:


	16. Pity

**1:50 pm, Wednesday, January 15, 2011**

“Hey, Jackson!”

Percy Jackson turned to face Cain Van Wes, his face emotionless as he asked the other teen what he wanted.

Cain grinned, and Percy couldn’t help but be reminded of a knife. “You know I saw this scar you had this one time,” He started.

Percy leaned against the lockers, seemingly perfectly at ease. But his hand was wrapped around Riptide in his pocket, and his instincts were telling him to run, run as far as you can because something is about to happen.

“Oh really?” Percy said, raising an eyebrow at Cain.

Cain smiles, “And what do you know, its a scar from a cigarette!”

Percy’s blood turned to ice. His entire body freezes, staring at Cain, as the boy continues.

“And I know you don’t smoke. But I do some digging, and would you look at that Percy Jacksons old stepfather was a smoker!”

_No._

_No._

_Not this._

_That’s not how you breathe, Percy._

Percy can see the exact moment people connect the dots. People stare at him, and there’s a pity in their eyes, pity Percy doesn’t want. Whispers erupt in an instant, and then Percy hears it- a small laugh, that’s hushed in a second.

But the laugh is echoing around him, and he feels like he’s drowning, he can’t breathe, he can’t move, all he can do is stare at Cain. Cain whose grinning and laughing, because this is funny to him.

Percy Jackson can’t breathe and Cain Van Wes thinks it’s funny.

Percy straightens up, and the hall falls silent. “What you gonna do Jackson? We all know you’re weak getting knocked around by a fat, ugly, smoker.”

Percy opens his mouth, ready to curse him out, condemn him to the crows, and show Cain how ‘weak’ he really his. But he’s suddenly being ushered away, and he can’t do anything but move with the person.

When everything clears for Percy, he sees Annabeth right in front of him, Jason and Piper behind her. He’s on the floor in an empty hallway, leaning against the wall.

Annabeth looks at him, and there it is, the pity the worry. She’s known for a while now, as has Jason and Piper, but that doesn’t stop the pity. Percy’s deepest, darkest secret has been revealed in front of a good portion of the school.

And those who weren’t there, they’ll know soon enough.

Percy tries not to cry, but the sob escapes his mouth before he can swallow it down. Then he’s crying, and Annabeth is rubbing circles into his palms, Jason is telling him it’s going to be okay, and Piper has her hand on his back, steadying him.

Every time he tries to stop crying, he ends up crying more. The laughter is echoing again, but he can hear the whispers, and then there’s Gabe’s voice, and Percy wants to scream, but it catches in his throat.

“Honey,” Its Annabeth’s voice, and Percy tries to latch onto the sound of her voice. The sound that saved his life in the Cocytus, stopped him from letting himself drown in the river of Lamentation.

“It’s going to be okay, honey, it’s going to be okay.” _He’s not okay, he can’t breathe, he’s drowning again._

“Perce, listen to Annabeth, okay? It’s going to be okay, just breathe.” Pipers words wash over him, and he starts to catch his breath. “That’s it, breathe, just breathe.” 

Footsteps echo in the hallway, and suddenly Pauls there and he’s telling him it’s going to be okay, asking if he can come with him. Percy tries to stand, but he’s so unsteady that it fails. 

Someone, probably Jason, helps him up, and they start to walk somewhere, Percy doesn’t know where. He hears Annabeth talking to someone, Piper is telling him to breathe, but she’s speaking in Greek now. Jason is helping him walk, telling him it’s going to be okay. 

A door opens and Percy is guided to a chair. He hears a lock click, and people are talking and whispering. Annabeth is by his side, telling him stories, trying to drag him back to the real world.

The fog in his mind slowly clears and he can see everything around him. He’s in the principal office, Annabeth is by his side. Paul and Mrs Childs are whispering in the corner. Jason and Piper are sat in the other chairs.

Annabeth reaches her arms out to him and he accepts the hug, desperately clinging to the thing that brought him out of hell. Annabeth tells him that his mom is on the way, it’s going to be okay, and how much she loves him.

Percy catches his breath, and the hours seem to blur from there. He barely remembers his mom walking in, Mrs Childs asking if what Cain said was true, his mother talking and telling her about Gabe Ugliano.

Then they’re leaving, and Percy is getting on the subway with his mom and friends, and his mom tells him they’ll pick up his bike later today. She can tell he’s practically disconnected himself from the world again, so she stands quietly next to him and holds his hand.

And then they get home, and Percy changes into comfy clothes and falls asleep on his bed to Annabeth rubbing his back, and telling him yet again that everything will be okay.

**Thursday, January 14, 2011**

Goode High was abuzz with chat for the rest of the day.

People were shocked. People felt bad for Percy. Almost everyone hated Cain Van Wes at the moment but no one was stupid enough to cross him like Percy Jackson had when he’d punched Cain Van Wes in the face. When he became captain of the swim team.

They all saw what happened to him.

And when he walked into school the next day, the hallway fell silent, a strange echo of his first day back.

The awe had turned to pity. The surprise had turned to the feeling that they never thought he would come back today. The confusion to horror at what their classmate has had to endure. 

His head was down, a hood over his head, but he was as recognisable as he had always been. When he got to his locker, he stood there for a moment, feeling the stares on his back, like they were knives pummeling into him.

The day continues on.

Lilith is gone, as is Cain. The latter was suspended for two weeks, and it seems the former choose not to come to school today, the coward.

Someone walks up to him during Lunch, offering an apology, and saying they’re sorry. People hold their breath as they wait for a reply, but Percy doesn’t answer and it’s his girlfriend who gives thanks to the person.

Percy Jackson doesn’t speak at all that day. He’s never called on once. In English, his girlfriend is next to him the entire time, hands intertwined, and throughout the class, she whispered to him the same mantra in a foreign language.

_I love you, Percy._

And then at the end of the day, Percy is at his locker when he slams his fist against the locker and-

Bursts into tears.

The sound drew everyone’s attention and they watch him as he starts to sob and cry, cursing out Cain Van Wes in the most creative way they’ve ever heard. 

And Annabeth rushes to him almost immediately from her locker down the hall, and then shes rubbing his back, telling him things in a language they don’t understand.

The next day, he comes into a locker with a single thing on the front. Someone taped a note telling him that Goode is with him. Offering their support and love.

They all see a small smile.

They don’t see that Percy is trying not to cry, because this is the worst thing that could’ve been revealed, and people are supporting him. Telling him that they’re with him, that they are sorry.

But it’s also pity.

And Percy Jackson hates pity, hate people feeling bad for him. Because why would you feel bad for him? He doesn’t deserve their pity their words of love. They think he’s an unlucky kid, with a dark past, and that’s it.

But what would they think if they knew what he did to Akhyls, the way he turned poison on the goddess of misery, the time he wanted to kill someone, crush their life out, and the thrill he got from the way she was screaming and crying, and the way the poison and blood moved under his command.

He tries to shake away the memory, but it won’t leave him, and now he’s standing at his locker, trying to dispel the memories of what he’s done. The bell rings; a blessing that thrusts him from the memory.

But it doesn’t change the fact that Percy Jackson thinks that he deserves their pity.

Maybe he des-

 _No,_ he has to tell himself, _you didn’t deserve that. You were innocent._

But he’s not an innocent now. His hands drip from the blood of his enemies, the sins of a warrior. Maybe he deserved to have his secret revealed. Maybe this is the fates telling him what he feels is true, that he is a monster.

He shakes his head, trying to dispel the thoughts.

But they stay, simmering under the surface. And those thoughts turn to anger, a volcano ready to explode at any moment.

And when he gets another apology he loses it, screaming that he doesn’t need an apology, before collapsing and dissolving into tears only seconds later. Then he’s apologising, saying he’s sorry, that it’s his fault, he’s sorry, he’s sorry.

And in those moments, people see a side they got a glimpse of when Percy punched Cain Van Wes in the face. An angry teen who, beneath his carefree attitude, is a deeply angry and deeply traumatised person.

And then beneath that, a layer no one has identified yet, someone who is unsure and hard on himself. With a temper that is quick and cuts you like a knife, but dissolves quickly, and then he’s apologising to you, trying to set it right.

Percy Jackson is made of layers. Layers that, like the ocean, get darker and more dangerous the deeper you go. Until you get the heart of him, which is the sea he is born from.

The sea that doesn’t like to be restrained, that eats ships whole for fun. The sea that destroys cities and lives without mercy, the sea that you never turn you back on, because it will kill you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops I'm sorry


	17. The Chapter in Which Things Continue to go Wrong

**2:20 pm, Monday, January 18, 2011**

The students learning Ancient-History from Mrs Thomas were doing a group project.

The goal was to write a myth with your partner, one that would realistically fit into the Greek Mythosphere. It was their final project and would account for a good portion of their grade in this unit. 

The unit had actually finished before they went on their winter break, but the project couldn’t be started until after. So they had to set aside learning about the Egyptians for a week or two so they could focus on the project.

Piper McLean was partnered with Percy Jackson and they both seemed heavily opinionated on what they should write. The rest of the class could only pick up bits and pieces of their whispered conversation, but they were clearly very arguing over every detail of the story.

“No, we are not making the main character a child of Poseidon!”

“Why not?” 

Piper gave him a searing look.

“We are not naming them Piper.”

“Well, you’re no fun.”

“Says you!”

The whispered argument continued until a phone ringing cut through the classroom.

All heads turned to where Piper was fishing her phone out of her bag. Seeing the caller ID, her face scrunched up in confusion, before she shrugged and answered the phone.

“Hey Mellie!” she said brightly. Percy, who had been furiously scribbling on their paper, glanced up, also confused.

They all saw when Piper’s face went from bright with elation, to turning slack with horror, to tears starting to stream down her face. Her hand was over her mouth and she looked half sick, half heartbroken.

“What? Mellie, please be joking. Oh, dear gods, _no._ ” Piper said, her voice a barely audible whisper.

The phone slipped from her hand, clattering onto the desk. That seemed to shake out the classroom out of its silence and people started to whisper in confusion, as an equally confused Percy brought the phone to his ear.

“Hey Mellie, this is Percy, what’s going on?” He said, hands nervously drumming against his desk. 

Mrs Thomas was frozen in confusion at the front of the classroom.

Percys had been emotionless ever since the incident last Monday. The only emotions people had seen put him was anger and frustration, but the emotion on his face was one they had never seen, even before the incident.

He looked _horrified._

It was the most human emotion they had ever seen him have, and that made a sour feeling in the pits of their stomachs. Something was wrong.

The classroom was so silent by this point that if they listened carefully, they could barely make out the words on the other side of the line, “-media will likely know within the hour. You guys have to get out of school, before that happens, and then over to camp, and then Piper has to get out of the state as soon as possible.”

What was going on?

What had happened that they had to not only leave school, but Piper had to leave the state? And why was the media involved?

Percy let loose a string of curses.

Piper burst into tears only seconds later. Percy hastily hung up the phone, saying they would be at camp _(What camp, the class wondered)_ as soon as possible, and then he discarded the phone on the desk.

He glanced at Piper, still sobbing, and out the window. He fished his phone out of his pocket and made his own call. His words were rushed and he spoke in another language, but ended the call in English. 

“Thanks, Chiron. We’ll be there soon.”

Then he made another call, and still spoke in the foreign language. But the other person was revealed when he spoke in English, “Annabeth can you bring Jase to? Pipes prob needs him….Love you.” He hung up, and packed his bag, throwing everything in.

Only two minutes later, Jason Grace burst into the room. Percy seemed to look for Annabeth, opening his mouth to ask and Jason answers his question before he could even ask it, “Annabeth ran to the front office, to tell them whats going on.”

He then turned to his girlfriend and he hugged her tight, pulling away a few seconds later, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

Percy at the same time looked panicked. His eyes were wild, darting around the room, and lingering on every shadow. He was tapping his foot rapidly, his bronze pen twirling around his fingers as the classroom waited in silence to see what would happen next.

A call came, this time for Mrs Thomas. Everyone watched as her face grew as horrified as Percy and Pipers had before she glanced up at her student. Swallowing, she nodded to Percy, a truce for the day. They could go.

Annabeth Chase burst in a few seconds later, holding two motorcycle helmets. She tossed a set of keys to Jason, and then the helmets, “You two can take my bike. Perce, can I-”

“Yeah,” he said, “Let’s go.” He threw his bag over his shoulder, fished out his keys from his pocket, and shook his head, maybe trying to clear his head. 

Jason helped Piper up, and the group of four rushed out of the school.

They heard the unmistakable sound of their motorcycles tearing out of the school, and a few seconds later there was a ding on one of the remaining student's phones.

“Jesus Christ.” The student whispered as they stared at the phone.

The class crowded around, and all silently read the headline.

** TRISTAN MCLEAN ATTACKED BY STALKER - IN CRITICAL CARE **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, so you thought I was gonna put some fluff after the last chapter? HA! Think again!
> 
> on a completely unrelated note, it is now illegal to call Percy an onion at any point.


	18. I accidentally made two OC's that I love to much, help.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fluff in this chapter is not an apology for my actions in the past few chapters.
> 
> But Cyril and August are.

**4:10 pm, Monday, January 18, 2011**

After about two hours of long and back stiffing driving on the bikes, the group pulled up to Camp Half-Blood, possibly going above the speed limit.

But, alas, the speed at which they travelled, and the amount to which they may or may not have been going above the speed limit is not important.

They pulled up, skidding to a halt in front of Thalia’s pine. Percy and Annabeth were off their bike in an instant, rushing into the borders. Jason and Piper, Jason with a comforting arm around Piper, followed soon after.

“Grace!” Percy called. Jason looked at him, “Can I have my keys?” Jason tossed the keys to Percy.

They were running to the big house when they passed the Stolls. Percy tossed the keys to them, asked them to bring the bikes in, and threatened them if they so much as got a scratch on either bike. The brothers took off.

The group burst into the big house, where Chiron was talking to Mellie, who was nervously wringing her hands.

Mellie turned the second the door opened, and once she saw Piper in the doorway, with her tear-stained cheeks, leapt up and embraced her tightly. Piper, in turn, held onto Mellie as if her life depended on it.

Piper was starting to softly cry again into Mellie’s shoulder, so the cloud nymph helped her sit down, handing her a glass of water. The rest of the group sat down as well.

As Mellie started to explain to mainly Jason and Piper that she had booked plane tickets for the two of them to Oklahoma, rightfully assuming that Piper would want to have Jason join her, Percy and Annabeth slipped out, saying they were heading back to the apartment to pick up some of the couple’s belongings.

The group of four sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being Piper’s small hiccups as she caught her breath again. Jason had a hand on her lower back, and Mellie was making sure that she was drinking the glass of water she had been given.

Chiron sipped on his coffee, deep in thought.

Mellies phone in her pocket buzzed, and she brought it out. Her face brightened slightly as she saw the phone number. She answered and put the phone on speakerphone.

“Hi,” she said, “is this the Police Department?”

“Yes,” came a man’s voice on the other side, “And I’m assuming this is Mellie Hedge?”

“The very same. If I may ask, who am I speaking to?”

“I am Luitenant Quentin Wells. Can I also ask if Miss McLean is with you?”

“She is right next to me.”

The man sighed, and muttered something about one less call to make, “We have caught the suspect,” he stated simply. 

The entire room perked up, and it was Piper who asked the question, halfway desperate in her words, “Who was it?”

“A 16-year-old boy, named Alex Green. I’ll send you the mugshots to see if you recognise him at all. He confessed to the crime and will be tried in court soon enough.”

Piper fell back into her chair, relief flooding her. Mellie ended the call, and smiled at Piper, “They’ve got him Pipes,” she told her, “It’s going to be okay.”

Piper nodded, the smallest fire of elation igniting inside her. Mellies phone buzzed with the text, and she checked the photo. “Don’t recognise him,” she said. Turning her phone to Piper and Jason, she asked: “Do you?”

Piper was going to be sick.

In that photo, holding the placard with his name, was the boy who had tried to chase Piper and Jason onto the subway. The same black braces, the same maniacal grin.

Piper made a choked sound and swallowed down the bile rising. Oh dear gods, did she know this kid.

Jason was telling them about their run-in with him that Halloween night and Piper put her head between her knees trying to calm vertigo that was taking over her.

Mellie sighed. “I think Tristan mentioned it to me after you guys had told him. We didn’t think it was that big of a threat but this kid…” she trailed off.

“Piper are you okay?” someone asked.

Piper tried to nod, but she felt tired and sick, and couldn’t do anything to stop that. 

Before she knew what was happening, her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out.

**8:00 pm, Monday, January 18, 2011**

She came to in her bed in the Aphrodite Cabin.

Groaning, she turned over, away from the faint light that was streaming through the windows. 

The door opened, and she heard footsteps. Someone was standing near her bed, rummaging through a drawer of some sort. She heard a familiar voice curse, and then say, “Where is that damn thing?”

Piper groaned, “Drew?”

Her sister made a sound, before crying out, “You’re awake!” 

Piper, sitting up finally, blinked and looked at her sister. “I- what happened?”

Drew looked away, fiddling with the bracelet Piper had gotten her for her birthday. After a moment she cleared her throat and replied, “You apparently passed out in the Big House. Jason brought you in.”

“Oh. Oops.”

Drew laughed lightly, shaking her head. She grabbed a glass of water of Piper’s bedside table, “Will said to make you drink this once you woke up.”

Piper gratefully took it, and after taking a hearty sip, said, “You’re not making me drink this. I’m doing it of my own accord.”

Drew gave her a mysterious look, “Or are you?” she wiggled her fingers and both girls laughed.

“I hate you,” Piper said, still laughing.

“Sure you do. I can really feel the hate.” Drew deadpanned with a roll of her eyes.

Piper laughed before taking another long sip of the water. Drew sat next to her, her face becoming one of worry and concern. “Are you okay?” she eventually asked.

Piper looked down at her sheets. Being truthful, she replied, “I don’t know. Like I think people expect me to be upset, but I don’t even know how I feel. I just…”

Piper could feel Drew give her a soft smile, “Hey, no ones expecting you to be a ray of sunshine, okay? Your dad was attacked, and that upsetting. I think people are just worried because you passed out.”

Piper smiled, “Glad to know people care.”

“Oh, you think? Wynn, the poor girl, was about to cry, hell even Cyrus was upset.” Piper looked at her sister in surprise.

“Cyrus?” she asked, somewhat surprised, “As in, punch first, ask questions later Cyrus?”

Drew rolling her eyes, “I suppose that’s an accurate description of him. And yes, him.”

Piper gave a surprised laugh, and Drew continued, “I mean I love him, but seriously, he’s almost like an Ares kid sometimes.”

Piper gave her sister a sidelong glance, “Be nice. Cyrus isn’t that bad. He’s just...impulsive.”

“Aren’t we all.”

They talked for a few more minutes, and it was mainly Drew telling Piper about some of the events that had happened recently. “And guess what!”

“What?” Piper said, leaning her head against the headboard.

“August finally asked Cyrus out!” 

Piper glanced at her sister, and a wide grin came over her face. Cyrus had been pinning for the child of Hebe for months, his tough-guy exterior melting whenever he talked about August.

Despite being confident and bold most of the time, Cyrus was completely lovestruck and a bumbling fool around August. Cyrus loved to talk about their golden blonde hair, and eyes that he described as glimmering in the sun.

In short; August had Cyrus wrapped around their finger.

Drew was telling Piper about some prank the Stolls had pulled on the Demeter Cabin when the door burst open and the rest of the Aphrodite cabin filed in, likely coming back from the evening activities, albeit early.

Cyrus was leading the group and was opening his mouth to ask where the hell Drew had gone to when he saw Piper. “Piper!” he said, delighted, “You’re awake!”

“No I’m just a hologram of the real Piper McLean whose still asleep- yes I’m awake, Sherlock.”

Cyrus snorted, “Wow thanks.”

Piper winked, “Anytime.”

Wynn, not only the youngest demigod in Cabin Ten but in Camp Half-Blood, leapt up onto Piper’s bed, before hugging her tight!

“I was so worried!” she said, clutching her big sister tightly.

Piper patted her head, “Hey, I’m okay, see?” She smiled at Wynn as the young girl looked up at her.

“Well Miss Councillor, anything you want to say? Address the crowd?” Cyrus said, raising an eyebrow.

Piper sent a look his way but ended up talking anyway, “Before any of you ask, I’m fine. There’s just a lot going on and…it’s not necessarily easy. Campfire is in,” she checked the clock on the wall, “Two minutes, so get anything you need and head over. I’m heading down to Oklahoma tomorrow, and for the love of the gods please clean up this Cabin by the time I get back.”

“Hey!” Cyrus protested, “It’s been a busy week.”

“By busy week,” one of the other daughters of Aphrodite, Issa said, “He means that he and August have been making out in her every day.” The cabin exploded with laughter and Cyrus went red.

“That’s enough,” Piper said, shaking her head while trying not to giggle, “Go to the campfire, all of you. I’ll be there soon.”

The children of Aphrodite filed out, laughing and talking. Piper sat down in her bed, and closed her eyes and sighed. She ran her hands over her face, before slightly opening her eyes to look at her remaining siblings.

Drew was sat on her bed, looking at her, while Cyrus leaned against the door frame. It was Cyrus who spoke, “You weren’t planning on going out, were you?”

“And if I wasn’t?” Piper asked.

“Piper, hun, it would be good for you. I know your hurt, and we can’t understand but your friends are out there. Let loose for a night, hand out with Percy, Annabeth, and Jason. I know you don’t want to forget your dad right now, and I’m not asking you to.” Drew said.

“I’m asking you to take a deep breath and remember your dad is going to be okay. He’s in the hands of some great doctors, and he’s going to be okay.” Piper nodded along to Drews words, albeit halfheartedly.

“I just feel like I can’t,” Piper said. She could feel her siblings curious stares on her as she continued, “be happy, party, enjoy myself when he’s lying in a hospital bed.”

“Piper,” Cyrus said, moving to sit beside her and take her hand, “I know that’s how you feel. But sometimes what you feel, what your heart is telling you, it isn’t right. The hearts a messy thing, we all know that. And you are allowed to enjoy yourself for one night if that’s what is going to stop you from constantly worrying.”

Piper sighed and nodded, “Okay.” she said. 

Cyrus grinned, and got up, helping her up a second later. Drew got up as well and smiled the sincere smile reserved only for these two, “And we’re here for you Piper, always.”

Taking a steadying breath, she grabbed her jacket, which had conveniently been placed on top of the bag Percy and Annabeth had picked up from the apartment and walked out the door to the campfire her siblings by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HamiltonTrashPanda: has angst in multiple chapters, sometimes back to back  
> Also HamiltonTrashPanda: I'm going to make Drew a good guy bc I crave a soft and kind sister for Piper
> 
> I really, really want to write a short fic about Cyril, August (who in case you couldn't tell, is supposed to be non-binary), Drew, Piper, and the other kids of Aphrodite. Maybe I will. Who knows.


	19. Piper Becomes Increasingly More Pissed Off

**5:00 am, Tuesday, January 19, 2011**

Piper woke up the next morning around 5 am, in order to be able to get to the airport on time. After some final last-minute packing, Jason and her, along with Mellie drove down to a small, private airport.

After a surprisingly short drive, the group of three arrived and boarded the private plane that Mellie had hired. The captain and co-captain introduced themselves, and at 6:30 am, they took off. 

Piper dozed off, falling asleep with Jason’s arm around her.

**10:45 am, Tuesday, January 19, 2011**

Jason gently shook Piper awake as they started their descent, telling her it was time to get up. He himself had tried to fall asleep but ultimately failed, too energised by being in his father’s realm to properly sleep.

Piper blearily opened her eyes at him, and he couldn’t help but smile at her. Groaning, she shifted in her seat and stretched. 

An announcement came over the speakers, “We will be landing in one minute. Please make sure that your seatbelts are fastened.” Jason took Piper’s hand, and she squeezed it tight.

“You okay?” He asked her quietly.

Piper sighed, glancing out her window. “I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I think I’m so emotionally drawn out to cry now, but I just feel numb. Like I’m so desensitised by this point that I have no emotions.” she gave a weak laugh.

“And I feel like I should care and should be in shock, but I think my minds just blocking all those emotions out.” The plane landed, and she put her head in her hands a few seconds later.

She huffed, blowing a hair off her face. She took a shaky breath, “And I guess worried he won’t be okay. But I’m trying to stay positive, focus on the good things, but I’m scared Jason. I’m really fucking scared he won’t survive this.”

Jason rubbed her back slowly, “It’s okay to be worried Pipes. It’s normal to feel how you are. That numbness?” Piper nodded, “It’s completely normal. Absolutely normal.”

Piper nodded along, glancing up when the seatbelt sign turned off. She unbuckled her seatbelt, sat up and stretched again. Jason followed suit, grabbing their duffle bags and backpacks from the overhead compartment. Piper moved to grab hers, but he stopped her, saying he had it, smiling at her.

Piper smiled back, albeit halfheartedly.

Mellie was standing at the door when they walked over, on the phone. They looked at her, and she held up a finger, telling them to wait. 

The captain came over and opened the door for the three of them. Bidding him a good day, Jason and Piper walked out, heading to the parked car that was waiting for them. Mellie followed behind, still on the phone. 

Once they got in the car, Mellie ended the call, giving a huff of frustration.

Piper and Jason turned to her, and it was Piper who asked what was wrong. Mellie sighed and looked out the window, silent.

“Mellie?” Piper asked the cloud nymph.

“The paparazzi have figured out what hospital Tristan’s at. And they’ve also managed to figure out that you’re on their way, so those bastards are there, waiting.

Piper froze. Jason gave Mellie a panicked glance, before turning to his girlfriend. “Pipes, you okay?” He said with a furrow of his brow.

Piper nodded, then paused and shook her head as tears started to fall. She let loose a sob, before putting her face into her hands and starting to cry more.

“Hey, hey, Pipes. It’s okay, It’s going to be okay, it’s going to be okay.” He was rubbing her back, and Mellie was looking out the window, her fists balling into fists then relaxing over and over again.

“Fuck every single one of those news starved, life-ruining, vultures.” she hissed. Jason reeled back in surprise when he saw her eyes, which were red and alight with fury. _That was new._

“Piper…” he tried, but Piper held her hand up, shutting him up.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, or tell me it’s going to be okay because it’s not. Those pieces of shit are the worst fucking things to ever come into my life, and I am going to rip their throats ou-”

Jason had put his hand over her mouth, and stared at her. Her eyes went from red to brown, her anger dissipating. “Piper.” He said his voice firm. “I want you to listen to me. I get you’re pissed off, I honestly do. But I need you to calm down, just for a few minutes. We’re almost there, and I really need you to stay calm until we get into the hospital.”

Piper was breathing heavily and jerked so his hand was no longer on her mouth. She turned away from him, not speaking and giving him the cold shoulder, “ _Piper…_ ” he said.

“Can you not right now Jason? Please?” she hissed, still not facing him.

Jason bit his lip, running a hand through his hair. Mellie was looking between the two, her face one of surprise.

They pulled up to the hospital, and Jason repressed a snarl when he saw the dozens of reporters waiting and watching the car as it pulled up. He glanced at Piper, who was still staring out the window.

Jason opened his door a second later and winced the second he heard people yelling. _Take a breath, Grace,_ he reminded himself. He held a hand out to Piper, who took it, still not meeting his eyes.

The second Piper stepped out, the yells became louder and louder, until Jason felt overwhelmed by them. The loud sounds were not helping his ADHD at all. Reminding himself to breath, he managed to wrap an arm around Piper and they walked to the door, Mellie close behind.

Piper was looking down, watching her feet. Jason could feel her trembling in anger. They had twenty feet to go.

A paparazzi asked a question. Piper trembled even more. Fifteen feet.

Then at ten feet came the question, “Miss McLean, is it true that this was a hate crime against your father for his race?” 

Piper whirled, turning to face the man. Jason couldn’t grab her in time, and the next thing he knew, Piper was right up in the face of the man, who was already sweating bullets by this point.

Jason reached her side, grabbed her arm, and tried to pull her towards the door. But it failed, as Piper stood her ground, and hissed curse after curse at the other man.

Jason let out a huff, and wrapped his arms around her, stopping her from going at the man with her knife. “Let go off me!” she hissed, still glaring at the frozen paparazzi.

“You worthless piece of shit!” she yelled at the man. “You think you’re getting a nice old story don’t you?” she cried looking around at everyone furiously filming and jotting down what was going on. They looked away ashamed.

“You all think it’s so correct to ask me these stupid questions when my dads in the FUCKING HOSPITAL? DON’T YOU, YOU PIECES OF ABSOLUTE SHIT?”

“Piper.” Jason hissed, still holding her back.

“Don’t you dare use that fucking tone with me right now, Jason.” came her hiss.

Piper somehow managed to wiggle out of his grasp and was stalking towards the man again, tears of fury streaming down her face when Jason barked out her name.

Startled, she turned, and Jason used her surprise to grab her hand and bring her inside. They got into the lobby, and Jason sat her down.

She tried to get up, but Jason, who was standing in front of her, held her down. He met her eyes, and spoke clearly and slowly, “Piper, _sit down._ ” His tone was colder than he meant it to be, and Piper looked at him in surprise. Her eyes stopped looking so red and returned to their normal colour.

She took in some shallow breaths, looking around. Seeing Jason’s frazzled face, Mellie standing in the corner, and the look of surprise on the faces of the people around them.

“I-I-” she let out a sob, and clung to Jason, all of her anger flying away in an instant. Jason rubbed her back, biting his lip as his girlfriend clutched the back of his shirt, sobbing.

“Why did I do that?” she babbled, “Oh gods, why did I do that?” she let out a moan, followed by a sob, and Jason held her tight.

Mellie had quietly came up, and Jason pulled away so Mellie could talk to Piper. Mellie put a hand on Piper’s cheek, wiping a tear away as she spoke softly to the teenage girl, “Honey, we can go up to you’re dads room. He got out of his second surgery about an hour ago, and won’t be awake but we can go. Do you want to, honey?”

Piper nodded, and Jason helped her up.

She curled into his side as they walked, leaning on him, and clutching him tightly. In turn, Jason's arm was around her shoulders, pulling her close. When they got into the elevator, and they leaned against the wall, he kissed the crown of her head as she pressed closer to him.

They walked down the hall, and it was Mellie who opened the door. Piper stood in the doorway for a second, staring before rushing to her father’s bedside. 

Jason followed soon after, and couldn’t help the flip of his stomach when he saw Piper’s father. He was pale, with a jagged red scar that had been neatly stitched up across his cheek. 

Piper was sat on a stool at her father’s bedside. One of her hands was intertwined with her fathers, and the other was smoothing back his hair, fixing the sheets around him. Jason could see the tears in her eyes, but she was holding them back.

Jason stood behind her, but soon pulled up a stool of his own. Neither stool had a backing, which allowed Jason to keep his arms wrapped around Piper’s waist. 

Piper pulled away from her father after a few minutes of fussing, and let her head hang forward. Jason pulled even closer until her back was right against his chest.

He kissed the side of her face, and he saw the small smiled that graced her lips for a split second. Her hands were resting on his, and Jason took that opportunity to grab one of them and rub soothing circles into her palm.

Piper smiled at him and leaned back. Her breathing started to deepen, and realising she was falling asleep, Jason convinced her to move to the couch with him.

He himself didn’t mean to fall asleep, but his lack of movement led to him closing his eyes, and the next thing he knew, he was asleep.

**5:50 pm, Tuesday, January 19, 2011**

Jason blearily opened his eyes, hearing someone call his name. Piper was in front of him, smiling a warm smile.

“Hey sleepyhead,” she said, running a hand down the side of his face.

“Wha- how long was I asleep?” he said, rubbing his eyes.

“Most of the day. It’s almost six now,” she told him.

Jason stretched and looked at her. Her hair was down, and her sweatshirt had been discarded. She looked gorgeous.

“My dad was up for a few hours,” she told him, “I wanted to wake you up, but he insisted I let you sleep.” she gave a small laugh. “Seem’s like you needed it.”

Jason gave a laugh, and wrapped an arm around her, “How is he?”

Piper fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “He’ll survive,” came her answer.

Jason held her tight and Piper leaned into him. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Jason’s stomach rubles rather loudly.

“Oh shit, you haven’t eaten in hours!” Piper cried, pulling out her phone. “I’ll order something, what do you want?”

Jason leaned back, “Pizza?”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll wait till Mellie gets back, see what she wants.”

“Where is Mellie?” Jason asked, suddenly noticing her absence.

“She stopped by the house to drop off a couple of things. She’ll be back any minute now.” Piper said, scrolling through her phone. “What do you want?” she asked, looking at her boyfriend.

“Do they have meat lovers?” he asked.

“I am not ordering that.” Piper huffed, giving him a look.

“Fine, I’ll have a cheese Pizza,” Jason said, glancing at the door.

Piper gave a hum of agreement, tapping on her phone. At that moment, Mellie walked in, looking slightly frazzled.

She glanced at the couch, and upon seeing Jason was awake, gave a wide smile. “You’re awake!” she said.

Jason nodded.

“We’re ordering Pizza,” Piper said, “Do you want anything?”

“Er...Piper?” Mellie ventured.

“Yeah?” Piper said, looking up in confusion at the cloud nymph.

Mellie gave a heavy sigh and looked out the window towards the setting sun. “The paparazzi are back.”

Piper tensed next to Jason and he could see her teeth clench and the way her fingers counting up to ten and back down. “Why?”

“Maybe they think they’ll catch you going out to dinner, I don’t know. But I suggest you either go out now and don’t come back, or stay here, and leave later tonight.” Mellie said, crossing her arms.

Jason and Piper exchanged a glance. Piper then glanced at her father, who was still asleep. Piper seemed to deflate. “I’ll stay here,” she whispered, wringing her hands. Glancing back at her father, she spoke again, “I don’t want to leave quite yet.”

“Piper hun, just go home. Go out, get some dinner. Your dads likely not going to wake up again, so why stay here?” Mellie said softly.

Piper looked away, not meeting anyone’s eyes, “I don’t want to have a repeat of earlier.” she finally whispered after a minute of tense silence.

Jason grabbed her hand, “Hey, I’ll be there Pipes. And it’s only going to be like one minute with those assholes, and then we’ll be in the car. Speaking of which…” he turned to face Mellie, “Do we have a rental car or anything?”

“I brought one of the family cars over. It’s parked out front. Here, I have the keys.” Mellie tossed the keys to him.

Jason looked at Piper, “Do you want to go, honey?” Piper didn’t answer for a moment but gave a short nod.

Jason stood up and Piper followed suit. He tugged on an overcoat and as did Piper, but she was still shuffling through her backpack. Jason glanced at her, “What are you looking for?” he asked.

“I’m seeing if I have a hat or some sunglasses,” she told him, still looking.

Mellie spoke up, “I grabbed some hats before I left.” she rummaged through her own bag, before pulling out two beanies, one white and one blue.

Piper took the white beanie, and Jason put it on her, laughing and kissing her forehead as he did. Piper gave him a smile, and Jason felt warm. 

Piper cancelled their previous order, and they set out.

He pulled on a pair of gloves and his beanie as they got into the elevator, all too aware it would be cold when they got out. Piper leaned against him, and smiled, “It was snowing earlier. I’m sad you missed it, it was so gorgeous.”

Jason laughed, “Well I’ll be awake next time.”

“You better be.”

The elevator dinged, and they stepped out. They were walking to the front door when Piper suddenly paused, a sudden panic on her face. “Hey, what’s-” Piper grabbed his arm and was trying to walk back to the elevators.

He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him, “Hey what’s wrong?” he asked, noticing her increasing panic.

“I can’t do this, I can’t go out there, I-”

“Hey. It’s going to be okay Piper. We’re literally going to be out there for like one minute, okay? Okay, Pipes?”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, okay,” Piper said, taking in a steadying breath. “We can do this, let’s go.”

“That’s the spirit,” Jason said, giving her a chaste kiss.

Piper smiled at him, and took another deep breath, before she walked to the door, hand in hand with Jason. Jason was the one to open the door, so Piper stepped out first.

Immediately, questions were being thrown at them. Piper tensed, but Jason leaned down slightly and started whispering comforting things to her. She nodded along.

They reached the car quickly and got in. As they pulled into the street, Piper sighed from the passenger seat.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, “Let’s just get some dinner.”


	20. I, For Once, Make Apollo Not An Arrogant A-Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can someone please tell me to stop making things go wrong?
> 
> Oh and here's some more Percabeth, I feel like I've been neglecting them.

**11:15 am, Monday, January 25th, 2011**

Annabeth leaned back in her chair, watching the clock.

Did Annabeth normally encourage paying attention in class? Yeah, sure, something to that effect.

But she was on edge today, even more than normal. Everyone was staring and whispering at her and Percy, and their mortal friends wouldn’t meet their eyes. Not only that, but Annabeth was still in pain from a monster attack the day before.

Maybe it was the painkillers she’d been downing, maybe it was the looks from her peers, maybe it was the fact her ADHD had been going haywire the entire day, but Annabeth was struggling.

The attack had been on her and Percy’s way to school. They’d been waiting in traffic when they both saw the shadow in the alleyway, and after a glance, managed to pull to the sidewalk.

The shadow had ended up being a pack of hellhounds, nothing major. But Annabeth had been diving to block Percy from one of the hellhounds slash of claws, and in turn, got some nasty scratches.

Percy had called into Paul, telling him that they would not be in school that day, and a request to get notes from their classmates from the day. And then Percy had picked her up, called Blackjack, and they flew home.

To their surprise, Nico and Will had stopped by for a visit, but that turned out to work in their favour because the hellhound had gotten her pretty bad.

Annabeth had been practically dragged to the couch by Will, who immediately started healing her while grilling the couple on what had happened. Nico, as silent and brooding as always, watched from the corner.

Percy had stepped out at some point to grab the bikes, calling a tow truck to help bring the beat-up bikes home. When he’d gotten back, Annabeth had been sent to bed, and Nico and Will were making out in the kitchen.

And finally, the clock struck 11:25 and the bell dismissing them for lunch rang. Annabeth gave a sigh of relief and haphazardly threw her books into her bag, deciding to organise it later.

She was the first one out of the classroom, and half ran, half walked to her locker. Tossing her stuff inside, she grabbed her lunch and went to the cafeteria.

Percy, whose class was in a separate wing of the school, was already there when she sat down. Damien and Sydney, who had been in Chemistry with Annabeth, sat down a few minutes later, followed soon after by Cameron and Kate.

They still weren’t meeting either of the demigod’s eyes.

Annabeth tried to ignore it, instead choosing to talk to Percy. He was complaining - yet again - about the Ancient History teacher, a woman neither of them liked very much when Sydney cut in.

“-Annabeth?” her voice was strained and awkward.

The girl in question turned and raised an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“We’ve been uh hearing some...rumours?”

Annabeth’s heart skipped a beat, for whatever reason. “What rumours?” she asked, keeping her tone cold and distant.

“Well um, yesterday Lilith Van Wes came back. And she uh, she said that you were,” Sydney glanced between the couple, “um…”

“Spit it out, Lise.” Annabeth barked.

Sydney gave a small twitch, not accustomed to the tone, but pressed on, whispering her next words, “pregnant.”

Annabeth’s jaw went slack. She heard Percy’s water bottle, which he had been taking a swig from, clatter to the floor. The sound caused everyone to turn their attention toward the group.

So that’s why nearly the entire population of Goode High saw Annabeth Chase, trembling in fury when she slammed her fist on the table and gave a growl, low and feral.

Next thing they knew she was jumping out of her chair, letting it clatter to the floor, and running out of the room. But halfway to the door, she let out a scream, short and clipped, but a scream none the less.

Her hands were pressed to her stomach as she stumbled back, running into Percy, who had rushed over in an instant. The cafeteria was silent as they watched, frozen and unable to do anything.

Percy was suddenly swearing, and Annabeth’s feet suddenly gave out from under her, but Percy was there to catch her. His face was pained, and he looked scared, young, and terrified. People were starting to wonder if this was the real Percy Jackson, beneath all the snark and behind the brick walls.

His hands pulled away from where they were pressing against hers, and someone gave shriek because they were red. Blood. Annabeth’s blood. _Fuck._

Percy was breathing heavily, practically hyperventilating and on the edge of a panic attack, as he desperately pressed against the gushing wound. Annabeth was pale and looked sick as she stared off into space.

The doors burst open, and Paul Blofis, head of the English department, and Percy’s stepfather rushed in, followed closely by a young man. At first, the students were confused, because when had Mr Blofis left the cafeteria, but that confusion shifted to the young man.

His hair was blonde and long, slicked back into an admittedly good looking bun. A pair of sunglasses were on his head, and he looked like a typical surfer dude. Except instead of the laid back attitude of one, his face was set in determination.

He pushed aside Percy, who was gaping like a fish at the man, and guided Annabeth so she was sitting at one of the empty cafeteria tables.

Percy seemed to gather some of his wits, and spluttered out his confusion, “Wha- How- I-” he shook his head, “Why are you here?”

The man spared a glance, “Your father called in a favour.”

“How did-”

“I told your mother, Percy, and she told him.” Mr Blofis cut in.

Percy was gaping, but his shoulders sagged in relief, and he muttered out some words. The man gave a smile, “You’re welcome.”

Percy gave a groan and suddenly seemed to notice the crowd around him. He went white, eyes taking in every one of his horrified peers. He turned to the man.

“Apollo, can you, can you do something? About them?” He gestured to the crowd.

“I’ll do it in a minute. For all they know, Miss Chase here collapsed, and will be later blamed on dehydration.” The man gave Percy a more thorough once over, and the teen looked away.

“When was the last time you slept properly? Like a full eight hours?” He asked, furrowing his brow at the son of Poseidon.

Percy didn’t answer.

“He’s as stubborn as his father,” Apollo muttered.

The man stood up, snapped his fingers, and the students of Goode High froze, eyes glazing over. “Come, Percy, we have a few minutes while the mist kicks in.” He tipped his metaphorical hat to Mr Blofis, bid him a good day and after Percy picked up Annabeth, they walked out.

They got outside, and Percy whistled for his Pegasi, keenly aware of the fact that the sun god was staring at him.

“You haven’t been sleeping properly, have you?” The god asked after a moment.

“Why do you suddenly care about my well being, Apollo?” Percy hissed.

“I’m a healer, Mr Jackson. I notice things.” Apollo reminded the teen.

Percy gave a huff, but at that moment, Blackjack swooped down in front of the pair. Percy put Annabeth on the pegasi, before swinging himself up, behind her. He glanced at Apollo who was watching him impassively.

Percy looked away and finally said, “Thank you Apollo. I don’t know what I would have done if it weren’t for you.”

The god gave a warm smile, “No thanks necessary, consider this a returned favour. And take it easy, _both of you._ ” He ended by giving Percy a long look, which made Percy’s stomach turn.

Not wanting to extend the conversation further, Percy ordered Blackjack to take off. As they flew off, he heard Apollo yell that he would handle the bikes. Percy gave a grateful sigh.

As they flew over the New York skyline, headed towards camp, Percy brushed a curl away from Annabeth’s face. “I was so worried,” he whispered, more open now that they were alone and Annabeth was asleep, having passed out at some point, “I heard you scream, and for a second I thought we were back-” his words caught in his throat, and he let out a sudden, soundless sob.

“There. I thought you were dead, Annie, I was so scared.” He wrapped his arms around her, clutching to her tightly, “I’m scared Annabeth. The past few weeks, hell even the past year and a half, I’ve never stopped being scared. I think I can take a breath, and then there’s something new.”

He sat in silence for a second, before he gave another sob, this one angrier than his previous ones, “Damn those Van Wes’. They ruin Piper’s life, then mine, and now their saying shit like you’re pregnant?” They were approaching the bay, and Percy could smell the sea.

He took in a deep calming breath.

Annabeth stirred, letting loose a moan, and Percy’s eyes widened. “Shit,” he whispered, before leaning closer to Annabeth, so she could hear him better, “Shh, shh, honey. Just go back to sleep. It’s okay, just sleep.” He ran his hand through her hair, and Annabeth gave a sigh and leaned against him, falling back asleep in an instant.

Percy watched for a moment, glancing up once to see they were approaching the Long Island shore. He relished in the smell of salt, the feeling of his father’s realm beneath him, the stinging air that whipped through his hair.

He put his head one Annabeths shoulder, “I love you, Annabeth.” He whispered, “So, so, much. I love you, Annabeth Chase, and I can’t lose you.” He was stopped from continuing his mumbles as Blackjack started to circle down towards the general Cabin Area.

As they landed, he could feel eyes on him, a good portion being younger campers. No familiar faces. Percy sighed.

But then there was one, Will Solace was running towards him, two of his siblings hot on his heels, carrying a stretcher between them. Percy got of Blackjack just as the healer reached him.

Will asked him to grab Annabeth, and Percy did just that, one arm under her arms and the other one her legs. He set her down on the stretcher, which had been lowered to the floor, taking care to not jostle her.

Will nodded at his siblings and they picked the stretcher up and made way to the infirmary. Will looked at Percy, who was quietly petting Blackjacks muzzle. The pegasus was nickering softly, pushing his head forward, almost like a cat.

“How’s you know we were coming?” Percy asked, not looking at the younger boy.

“My father,” Will said simply, putting his hands in his pockets. “She’s going to be okay, Percy. She’s in good hands.”

“I know, I know. I just…”

“Worry?” Will finished for him.

“Yeah.” Percy sighed.

“I get it. Gods know how many times Nico’s made me worry like there’s no tomorrow.” Will smiled slightly, thinking about his boyfriend, “And it’s hard, it always is. But he ends up okay.”

Percy tried to ignore the fact that Will just said, okay, not great or perfect. Nico di Angelo would likely always only be okay, never more. He had a whole host of issues and traumas, some relating to Percy himself. Percy wished, for the hundredth time, that Nico could just be a bit happier, and not be so burdened, so traumatised.

“How is he?” Percy asked.

“He’s okay-ish. He had a nightmare last night, and it wasn’t pretty.” Will said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh.” Percy looked down before finally looking at Will, “You should go, you have infirmary stuff to do.”

“Yeah I should,” Will gave him a smile, “Take a break, Perce. Unwind. Maybe Clarisse will spar with you or something.” The son of Apollo then turned and jogged to the infirmary.

Percy gave a small laugh and led Blackjack to the stables. A spar with Clarisse did sound fun, so he set out in search of the daughter of Ares.

**2:00 pm, Wednesday, January 20th, 2011**

Percy and Clarisse were a blur of swords and spears, whirling and slashing around each other.

Some of the newest campers were being taught a lesson in the arena, but the lesson had been abandoned to watch the fight.

It was, to say the least, impressively scary.

Clarisse’s eyes seemed to glow red, and her powerful muscles rippled with every slash. Percy’s face was stoic, and his eyes had narrowed, focused on his task. He had abandoned his shirt at some point, giving one hell of a view.

At some point, Percy was disarmed, kicked to the floor, and Maimer was inches from his throat. He gave a breathless laugh, throwing his hand up to block out the sun overhead.

Clarisse offered her hand, and he took it, hauling himself up and dusting off his jeans. He was handed his sword, which he recapped, and put in his pocket.

He and Clarisse set out to the cabins, laughing and playfully shoving one another as they walked. After a moment though, Clarisse's face became softer and she looked at Percy.

“I heard about Chase, is she okay?” The daughter of Ares asked, all too aware that Percy was likely not very happy that his girlfriend was injured.

Percy sighed and stopped where they were waling, Clarisse following suit. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair, “Yeah she will. It’s just never easy.”

Clarisse gave him a playful jab, “We both know how tough she is, she’ll bounce back in a few days.”

Percy gave a sad sort of smile, and Clarisse watched as her long time friend seemed to break down all his walls. He looked away but Clarisse swore she saw some tears prickling in the corners of his eyes, “I know, I know. I just hate it. Seeing her in pain, feeling like I could have stopped it.”

“You’re head over heels Jackson,” Clarisse said, unable to help herself.

“That I am,” He agreed. They stood in silence for a moment before Percy jogged away, towards the boy’s bathroom. Clarisse watched him go, and couldn’t help but hate what had happened to the sarcastic punk she had known for so long.

Clarisse shook her head, and walked towards the arena, itching for another sparring match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHAHA, EVEN MORE, IS GOING WRONG HAAHAAHHAHA
> 
> But do not fret, dear readers, for the next two chapters will be the last of shit going wrong! And this fic, it's almost done! Five more chapters to go! (But that doesn't mean I'm done with the universe of Strange, more information to come soon)
> 
> On a much more serious note, I beg of you too, if you can, donate to the Lebanese Red Cross for relief for the explosion in Beirut.


	21. The Beginning of The End

**7:45 am, Monday, February 1st, 2011**

Piper knew something was up the moment she, Jason, Percy and Annabeth stepped into school.

This being Pipers first time back at school since her fathers attack, that was bound to draw attention. But most people were staring at Annabeth, to the surprise of Piper.

Piper leaned close to her friend and asked her what was going on. Annabeth shook her head and gave enough details for Piper to get the gist of what had happened a week prior.

Piper winced, already aware that this would only add more to the mystery around her friends. Pipers dad being attacked had been one thing, Percys abuse another, and Jason being the missing son of a Hollywood starlet an even bigger thing.

Annabeth’s collapse was just one thing in the ever-growing lists of the group’s oddities. Piper gave a small huff, and whispered to her friend, “We’re shit at blending in aren’t we?”

Annabeth scowled, “You can say that again.” Percy glanced at the two, giving them a curious look, which Annabeth waved off. “Mind your own business, Jackson.”

“Yeah, Percy,” Jason teased, elbowing his cousin. He glowered, before rolling his eyes and elbowing Jason back.

By this point, Piper had walked over to her locker, separating from the group. She took her bag off her back, placing it on the floor in front of her locker. She was unzipping her bag when she heard the familiar voice of Cameron Dales.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t Piper McLean!” He was standing next to her, opening the locker to her left. 

She laughed, “Hello, Cameron.” She raised your eyebrow at him, “That’s not your locker.”

He gave a laugh, “I got a new locker. My old one became a spider-infested hellhole.” Piper laughed, imagining Cameron’s reaction to seeing it.

“Oh, you poor soul.” She crooned, putting her History textbook in her locker. 

“I know, it’s such a tragedy,” he said, dramatically putting his hand over his forehead. She mimed sympathy, as she put her English textbook and binder in her bag.

His smile fell after a moment, and he rubbed his hands together awkwardly. “How are you? With everything going on.”

Piper sighed, “It’s okay I guess. My dad’s going to make a full recovery but it doesn’t make it any easier, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it. I saw that video of you going at the paparazzi and I must say, I am impressed.”

Piper laughed as the five-minute bell rang overhead. “Thanks, Cameron.” She picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder, “See you in chemistry!”

“Yup!”

And they went their separate ways to their homeroom classes.

**11:30 am, Monday, February 1st, 2011**

Annabeth Chase threw her bag unto a seat at the lunch table, sitting right next to it, before putting her head in her hands and groaning.

‘Uh oh,” Sydney said, “What’s wrong?”

“I am going to rip Mrs Thomas’s throat out.” She growled.

“What’s this about ripping Mrs Thomas’s throat out, and can I join?” Percy asked, walking up. He placed a kiss on the crown of Annabeth’s head before sitting next to her.

“That woman is, so, just so, argh!” Annabeth groaned, ignoring the stares of her friends.

“What did she do this time?” Damien asked, sounding on the verge of laughing.

“It’s not funny!” Annabeth snapped.

Damien through his hands up, and just as Piper came to the table. She glanced between Damien and Annabeth a few times, before sighing and asking what happened.

Annabeth dove into her story. “So we were having a debate in class, right no issue. Except Mrs Thomas was like, Annabeth and Jason I want you to sit this one out, you aren’t prepared enough! Even though we’ve been preparing for this debate since we got back from Winter Break and we had already finalised our talking points before last week.”

She ran her hand through her hair, just as Jason stalked up. He sat at the table and spoke to Annabeth, “I went to the office to complain, but they said it wasn’t an issue!”

Damiens jaw dropped, “You’re kidding!”

“Nope,” Jason growled biting into his food.

Cameron rolled his eyes, “This place is a hellhole. Can’t wait to graduate next year.” A murmur of agreement passed through the group.

“Do you think it was related to your guy’s dyslexia or something?” Kate asked, furrowing her brow. “Mrs Thomas sound like the type of person to do some shit like that.”

“Who knows,” Annabeth huffed.

“If it was, I think that’s illegal, in one way or another.” Damien mused.

“Oh so you’re suddenly an expert on law, huh?” Sydney teased.

He gave her a look, “My moms a lawyer. Deals with disability cases, doxing, and some other stuff.”

Piper was growing over her food, thinking over what Damien had said. Suddenly, she looked up, before grabbing her bag and grabbing her phone from it. She furiously typed something in, before scrolling for a moment, looking for something.

She read something for a moment before her jaw dropped, and then she smiled. She looked like Christmas had come early.

“Uhhh, Pipes-” Percy started, confused. Piper held up a hand to hush her friend, as she continued reading.

After a moment she slammed down her phone and was opening her mouth to speak when someone cleared their throat.

They turned to see, to no ones surprise, Lilith Van Wes. “Well, would you look at that, the paparazzi attacker is here!” The bitch called, drawing attention to the group.

The entire group rolled her eyes, and Piper spoke, “What do you want Lilith?”

Lilith laughed, “I wasn’t expecting to see you back here after that little episode on the 19th! But we all know your crazy McLean, so soon enough you’ll be kicked out of this school for good.”

Piper laughed, mocking her. She seemed suddenly more confident as she spoke, her multi-coloured eyes swirling with reds. Lilith who had been smiling faltered and curled her lip.

“What’s so funny!” She cried, starting to sound like a whiny toddler.

“I did some research just now, and-”

“Oh wow, didn’t know you could type!” Lilith mocked a weak jab.

Piper rolled her eyes, “Oh wow I’m so hurt!” Lilith looked angrier. “And would you look at that, revealing personal information is a federal crime. And do you know what counts as personal information, Lilith?”

The girl was turning crimson. Piper picked up her phone, “Let’s see, someone school location, which you did to me by giving it to the media. Someone’s information that was previously not publicly known, which could count as Jason’s parentage, and Percys…” she paused, “Abuse.” 

Lilith’s lip curled, “You have no proof!”

“Oh?” Piper titled her head. “I think we both know I do. Not even counting the slander against Annabeth by saying she’s pregnant or how your brother assaulted Percy! All of which count as crimes, so,” she stood up and leaned close to Lilith,

“You better start calling some lawyers, Miss Van Wes.” 

Piper gave a poisonous grin. Annabeth smiled. Percy gave a lopsided grin. Jason gave an approving nod. 

This was the beginning of the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooohh Lilith is in trouble!
> 
> *fake cries*
> 
> Anyway, I want to inform you guys about something. On my profile, you can find another one of my story titled world of monsters. Currently, it has three chapters, none of which relate to Strange. But from here on out, every chapter will be in one way or another connected to strange. The next chapter will come out when Chapter 24 of this fic comes out, for a reason I will tell you later. But there are some chapters you can check out right now, so please do!


	22. Uh Oh, Liliths in Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Percys Birthday so here's a chapter I guess

**11:30 am, Monday, February 1st, 2011**

Sydney Lise leaned back in her chair, absolutely enjoying the show.

Lilith looked about ready to burst, with a face as red as a tomato. Piper was talking in low tones to someone on the phone, away from the group. Annabeth had her feet on the table, and every time Lilith made an argument, Annabeth picked it apart.

“You can’t do this!” Lilith cried.

Sydney noticed Percy pull out his phone, and taped something on it, before setting it on the table. She could have sworn she heard a beep but dismissed it.

“What, make sure justice is served? Yeah, we can,” Annabeth commented, twirling a fork.

Lilith made a sound, and Sydney couldn’t help but think she was acting like a toddler. Sydney snorted at the mental image that popped up.

Lilith whirled, and shouted at her, having heard the noise, “Oh you think this is funny, don’t you Lise? You’re just a blind follower of these idiots!” She gestured wildly towards Annabeth and co.

Sydney was taken aback, but luckily Annabeth cut in. “How ‘bout you shut up for once in your life and take a vacation to, I don’t know, a remote island in the pacific and never come back?”

Lilith spun to face the blonde, and the two girls glared for a moment. Annabeth had a poisonous grin on her face, while Lilith looked beyond furious. 

“You’ll pay for this,” Lilith hissed.

“Stop trying to intimidate me, Van Wes. It’s pathetic,” Annabeth replied.

“I’ll call my lawyers,” Lilith said, stepping closer to Annabeth, jabbing her finger at the other girl. “I’ll make sure you get arrested, and thrown out of this school, no matter what I have to do.” Lilith stepped back and grinned.

“I would leave this school now if I were you.”

“Actually,” came Percy’s drawl, his New York accent heavy as he spoke lowly, “I would suggest you leave now Miss Van Wes.” He lifted up his phone to show the screen, a recording app.

Percy gave a lopsided, knife-like grin, and Lilith’s jaw dropped. “You-you can’t do that! That’s unfair, I didn’t know I was being recorded!”

“Awww, the big baby thinks I can’t record her without her permission when I feel unsafe or think what she says could be used in court. How adorable!” Percy mocked, putting his feet on the table.

Someone in the cafeteria, which had fallen silent, laughed. “Aww is Miss Van Wes afraid of the big bad lawyers isn’t she!” Someone called, eliciting laughter from the school.

“You’ll all pay!” She screamed.

“Still recording,” Percy said in a singsongy voice. 

Lilith lunged, but a hand wrapped around her arm, stopping her. 

Piper had been the one to grab her arm, and she now stood tall, her hand the noticeably shorter girls upper arm. “Hands off!” Lilith cried wriggling out of her grasp.

Lilith managed to but lost her footing and fell to the floor. Piper used that chance to lean over her, and with eyes that seemed to burn red, told her, “I just got off the phone with the NYPD.” Liliths eyes widened. “Hope you like courthouses, Miss Van Wes.” 

Then, Lilith did something unexpectedly bold, she spat in Pipers face. Piper hissed as she wiped away the spit and she stood up, and stepped back, glaring even harder.

Piper McLean seemed inhuman at this point, with her burning eyes and her grin that was just a bit too sharp. Her words seemed smooth and cold, yet persuasive all the same.

Sydney looked around and the entire group seemed the same way.

For the first time, Sydney noticed how everything about Annabeth Chase was sharp and angled. Even her curls, which would look soft and round on any other person, seemed harsh and sharp. Her eyes were the sharpest thing about of her, with stone-cold steel in them.

Jason was tall, taller than everyone else a the school, save Percy. His eyes seemed to flash with bolts of lightning and the tattoo on his forearm radiated danger and distrust into Sydney.

And Percy, he was the most eldritch of them all. Green eyes that seemed to green to be human. Cold smiles and knife-like grins, and a presence filled with danger and destruction.

Power radiated from all of them, so much power. Sydney could practically taste it. It washed over her whenever they were nearby, and most times it was a gentle current, soothing and warm, matching their moods. But they were riled up now, and the power was like a blade, and ozone seemed to fill her lungs.

That’s why he didn’t fit in.

It’s not because of his stare, or the way he seems to watch and analyse people. It’s not the scars and bruises. It’s not the dark looks that he gets or any of that.

It’s the pure, unfiltered power, that’s why he’s so strange.

And Lilith, displaying that she has some cognitive faculties, noticed this. She’s gotten up from where she was on the floor, but has lost her glare and looks awkward.

They hear sirens outside the school, and Lilith curls her lip but doesn’t say anything. The doors to the cafeteria open about three minutes later, and a handful of officers and Mrs Childs walks in, obviously flustered.

The officers walk over to Lilith and she comes with them, seemingly having given up. Mrs Childs raises an eyebrow when she notices who they are taking, but she knows it is not her place to stop the officers.

Lilith does send a glare over her shoulder as she walks out, but it’s weak. Lilith raises her head as she walks out, but manages to maintain her pride. 

The room is silent for a moment, but the shrill bell snaps them out of it. People chat and murmur with each other as they pick up their bags, and walk out.

Annabeth grabs her bag and asks Sydney, Piper and Kate if they want to join her in the library. Kate declines, but Sydney and Piper go with her. The boys separate out, and the girls head out.

They managed to find a table in a quiet place in the library, and Annabeth seemed frustrated. She was holding the sides of her book in a white knuckle grip and her textbook.

“You good?” Sydney asked, grabbing her books from a bad.

Annabeth groaned, slouching in her chair and slamming her book onto the table. She rubbed her hand over her face and told Sydney, “I’m stressed as all hell. My dyslexia’s being a bitch.”

Sydney gave her a sympathetic look, “Why are you stressed?”

Annabeth gave a deep sigh. “I’m not sure. The whole thing around Lilith just now really got me on edge. I don’t want to go to court, and I know we have to, and Lilith will get what’s coming to her, but still,” she groaned.

Piper nodded along. “Don’t worry, I dropped Mellie a text.” She sat down and opened her book. “She’s working on lawyers. At least we don’t have to worry about that.”

Annabeth nodded. She read through her book and continued to read. The girls sat in silence for a few moments, studying when Sydney looked up and grinned, “So you gonna wail on the office about Mrs Thomas?”

The girls laughed. Annabeth shrugged, “Who knows. I mean we’re already going to court, why not add more.”

Sydney shook her head and smiled, before turning back to her book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of m favourite headcanons ever is the one about demigods being offputting and almost inhuman so I had to include it here.


	23. Prom Night Leads To Something Bigger

**6:00 pm, Friday, April 8th, 2011**

Prom Night.

The biggest night for any junior or senior, the night you look forward to for years. You get to wear pretty clothes and have the time of your lives with your friends.

Percy Jackson was in his bathroom staring at his reflection. He leaned down and splashed some water on his face, deep in thought.

He never thought he would get here.

Before he had figured out he was a demigod, he had always been certain that he either wouldn’t be in school by this point or have been banned from the event due to bad behaviour.

And then the after, and he was told, at twelve, that he wasn’t likely to survive past sixteen. That was just the way of a demigod, that’s how it had _always_ been.

Percy sighed and tugged on the vest he had bought, partially thinking that this all was a fever dream, and one day he would wake up, dying on the floor of Olympus, having given his life along with Luke. Or maybe he would wake up in a hospital and his mom and Gabe would be there, and the past 5 years had all been a dream.

He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts. Tonight was not a night to think about that, tonight was a night to celebrate, and to him a night to remember that he had defied the heroes fate he had been cursed with.

At least for now.

He grit his teeth as the intrusive thought popped up, and splashed more water onto his face. 

There came a rap at the door. “You ready, Perce? Your mom wants some photos before we go, and Sydney, Damien, Kate, and Cameron are here.” Annabeth called.

He opened the door, tugging on his suit jacket. “How do I look?” He asked her.

She adjusted his collar, before stepping back and smiling. “Great. How do I look?” She asked, giving a twirl to show off her dress.

Speaking of which, the dress was one of the most gorgeous things he had ever seen. He was fairly certain it was the result of a favour Piper pulled from her mother, not that that was a bad thing.

It was silver, with a sort of cape trailing behind. The cape at the bottom, in a bright blue, had the delta on it, a homage to Annabeth’s late brother, Daedalus. 

“Gorgeous,” he said, pulling her closer to her by the waist. She smiled at him, and they were just about to kiss when the door opened.

In the doorway stood Sydney, along with the rest of their friends. “Ha!” Said Sydney, “Told you they’d be kissing!”

“Why am I not surprised?” Said Jason, smirking when the couple blushed.

“Stable Incident?” Piper asked, laughing when Percy and Annabeth sent glares her way, “Oh calm down you two. Us teasing you is revenge for you two had us all thinking you had been kidnapped.”

Percy shook his head, but smiled and pushed past the group. They all walked to the front hall where all the parents - Sydney’s Dads had driven her and Cameron over while Damiens parents had brought him and Kate to the apartment - were waiting for photos.

Sally gave Percy and Annabeth a long look, before turning to the rest of the group, “We’re they making out?” Their friends gave enthusiastic nods, and the adults laughed when Percy and Annabeth groaned.

The next minutes were spent with them all smiling and posing, laughing and already giddy from excitement. Finally, the group was dismissed and they got onto the train heading down to the school.

The girls had all snagged seats, and the boys stood in front of their dates. 

After one change, they got off the train, and headed to their school, ready to have the times of their lives.

**8:15 pm, Friday, April 8th, 2011**

Sydney Lise was having the time of her life.

She had danced for multiple songs, sung along to everyone she knew, ate as much food as she could, and was now sat with her friends around a table.

Cameron was to her right, trying to convince Jason to join the football team next year. Next to Jason, Piper and Kate were deep in conversation. Next to them, was Cameron and Annabeth, who were making small talk. Percy was to Sydneys left.

Over the loudness of the cafeteria, Sydney faintly heard a phone ring. She turned to her left, where Percy was fishing his phone out of his pocket. He tapped accept and brought the phone to his ear.

She was close enough to hear his greeting, but not the other person. “Hey Will!” He said.

Piper glanced at him in surprise but turned back to her conversation. Sydney watched Percy.

At some point into the conversion, the other person must have said something very, very surprising, because Percys eyes widened by a lot. He took in a quick breath, which drew Annabeths attention.

The room had quietened down by this point, as another slow dance came on. So Sydney could very clear;y hear Annnabeth say, “Percy, whats going on?”

“A lot.”

Annabeth gave a huff, “Put the phone on speaker.”

Percy obliged, “Will,” he cut in, “Gove me one sec, I’m putting you on speaker.” Piper and Jason exchanged a look, and got up and moved closer to the phone. In fact, the entire group crowded in, curious.

“-Okay. Well, she was found in the junkyard, barely conscious, on the verge of death. We think she came through the doors, but Nico isn’t in a state that he can confirm that right now.”

“Whose she?” Annabeth asked. Percy mouthed a name, still listening to the boy on the other end of the line explain that Nico, whoever that was, had been crying for the past few hours. The boy on the other end of the line sounded exhausted, Sydney noticed.

At the name, Annabeth’s eyes widened. Sydney barely caught her hiss, “She’s alive?” Percy gave a nod, still listening.

Annabeth voiced a question, “When is she going to be brought into Camp?”

“Hey Annabeth,” The boy said, before giving a sigh, “We’re working on that. From what I’ve heard she’s got multiple broken ribs, major burns, and is barely breathing. The retrieval process is going to be delicate, but we’re lucky one of my siblings lived in the area.”

“What’s going on?” Jason asked, confused.

“Someone came through the doors,” Percy said, before slipping into another language to talk to the boy.

The group leaned back at that point and all looked at Annabeth. Her brow was furrowed, and she seemed noticeably pale and shaken. Piper asked her a question in that foreign language, and Annabeth replied. 

Her reply was seemingly alarming, as Jason and Piper exchanged a look of pure surprise.

Damien asked a question, slightly nervous and very confused, “Everything okay?”

Annabeth sighed, “I think so. Someone we thought was dead isn’t and that’s going to be a bit of an interesting thing to deal with.” She sighed again, “Look, there’s a lot that I can’t explain,“ She glanced at her boyfriend, “I think the best way to describe this would be family issues, but that’s almost an understatement.”

Jason grumbled something about barely two months and peace, and Annabeth grumbled something in that foreign language. Jason and Piper raised their glasses to that, along with Annabeth, before all taking a quick sip.

Annabeth put her cup on the table, and muttered something Sydney barely caught, “I’m not even surprised anymore.” A pained grin, “I love everything about being…” Sydney didn’t catch the rest of her words as the volume rose and Cameron took her hand and lead her to the dancefloor, and she forgot to ask what Annabeth had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma be honest with y'all for a hot second.   
> I'm in a meh place right now. Dealing with surgeries of people I'm close to, heat well into the 100s (Fahrenheit) Humidity, some internalised Acephobia, it's not great. School starts soon and I'm very stressed, and right now my fics are doing a lot for me. Chapters may come very quickly but I don't know. 
> 
> Please don't worry about me though, I am fine, and I'm just stressed and tired. 
> 
> On a side note, can anyone guess who came back? I feel I made it fairly easy to deduce, I just was trying to not name drop.


	24. These Dogs Have Already Stolen My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dogdogdogdogdogdog

**3:00 am, Saturday, May 4th, 2011**

The first day after Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase had finally gotten their service dogs had been quite an interesting one. 

As with any dog, Tide and Rocky, the dogs, had to get acclimated to their new home. Tide, who was Percy’s service dog, was a border collie with enough energy to power a Boeing 747. 

Rocky, a boxer, was a little more subdued and seemed to never want to leave his handler’s side. Tide was just as, if not more loyal to Percy, but was also very curious when she wasn’t working.

Tide, had run straight into the house and explored every inch, overturning blankets and pillows, determined to find every part of the house. Rocky had just curled up next to Annabeth as she sat down on the couch to watch some TV, falling asleep within the next thirty minutes. 

There had been an incident, while Percy was on a run with her, when Tide had gotten very excited at the sight of a butterfly and watched it for almost five minutes, not moving no matter how much Percy tried.

But on duty, the two of them were perfect. Focused and attentive, not once getting distracted by the numerous distractions that came from the school setting.

According to Kate, the rest of the school had received an email about the two dogs and proper etiquette, and luckily everyone abided by the rules around the two dogs.

Percy couldn’t be happier.

But right now Percy was dreaming.

He wasn’t sure where he was, it was dark. But slowly his surroundings became clear as he found himself in, surprisingly the labyrinth again. He wondered until he finally came to the area where he had killed Antaeus.

And then ghostly images ran past him, and surprisingly everyone wh passed by him was someone no longer alive. A battle formed around him and these ghosts, and every single one of them somehow died the same way he really had.

Beckendorf in a sudden explosion. Percy tried to scream, but it was lodged in his throat.

Silena by drakon acid.

Luke, stabbed in his shoulder.

Castor, Ethan, Zoë. All of them.

He had the sudden feeling of something licking his face, and he jolted awake, startling awake Annabeth as well.

Tide was on his chest, having been the one to lick him awake. Annabeth took in his heaving chest, and rested her hand on his back, offering support. Percy could faintly see Rocky lift his head, awoken by her movement.

Tide had stopped licking her face as soon as she saw that he was awake but she didn’t get off him, choosing instead to settle on his stomach, not quite fitting, but it was enough.

He slowly petted her, Annabeth’s hand still on his back, as he regained his breath. “Everything okay?” she asked him after a moment.

“Yeah, yeah just a nightmare. Nothing big.”

“Want to talk about it?”

He explained the nightmare as best he could and could barely see Annabeth nod as he finished. She hummed as she thought over it, “I’m not sure what it stems from, but I don’t think its that big of a deal, would you agree?”

“Yeah,” he said, leaning back onto the bed. Annabeth curled close to him and he threw an arm over her, as she pulled the blankets tighter around them. 

He felt Tide slightly shift on his legs as he fell asleep, and could hear Rocky make a sound in his sleep before he dozed off yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. But I suppose I can make it up to yall by announcing the next chapter of World of Monsters will be up within the hour. Hope you enjoy, Miss Bianca may make an appearance. 
> 
> and just for clarification:  
> Tide is Percy's service dog. She is a border collie.  
> Rocky is Annabeth's service dog. He is a boxer.


	25. Four Years

**10:00 am, Saturday, June 4th, 2011**

Percy Jackson had made it to graduation.

_Graduation._

Sure, he wasn’t one of the seniors actually graduating, but this still meant something. That would be him next year.

He would walk that stage, he would get that diploma, he would graduate. He would make it, he had to, he had come this close already.

A year. He had a year, and even if he died the day after graduation, he would have made it, he would have been the first Greek demigod to graduate high school in years.

He and Annabeth, and Piper. Greek demigods who had done it made it past sixteen. Survived through war, and pain, and the pit, and done something that hadn’t been done in centuries.

He could cry.

Jason was lucky, not having the constant reminder of the bloody fates of those who came before you, the short lives and painful deaths. Romans could retire, and Percy was jealous.

He would go to college.

He didn’t have a lot of hope he would make all the way through.

But that was a step, progress, change. He could set a new path, and people could follow, going further and further until something had fundamentally changed.

So what if he died at nineteen or twenty? He would have survived four more years than any Greek Demigod of the past centuries had. Four years. Small in the long run of a roman, or a mortals life span, but centuries to the Greeks.

Four years.

He could do it.

That would be his number, his goal. Every breath, and every second after that was a blessing, and he would not let those breaths be wasted. 

The day prior in his final class of the year, English with his stepfather, Paul had asked his class what their goals for their senior year and college were.

Percys first thought was _four years_. He would survive for four years past the age every other Greek Demigod who had lived in the past centuries had. He and Annabeth would be the oldest demigods since ancient times. 

They had gone around, and Percy had said something that brought confusion to those who didn’t know him, know the truth of who he was. “Bee in College for one year, and have a twentieth birthday,” He had said.

Paul had hung his head, all too aware that his stepson had been destined to the fate of a hero the second that oath had been broken. Consequences for an immortal breaking an oath over the boundary between death and life, a child taken away. 

The next person had gone, leaving the class to ponder the meaning of his words. 

Annabeth had been the next of the demigods to go. “Do everything I can. Go to Greece when I want to and it isn’t…” she trailed off and shook her head, “Forget that. I want to see the Parthenon, one more time.” The determination in her voice broke Percy’s heart.

She had wanted to see the building named for her mother for years. And she had, but she had been on a quest, in danger. She wasn’t allowed to see it how she wanted to. She hadn’t gotten to walk around and touch it, and that hurt.

Piper had said she wanted to see her sister Lacy go to prom, to graduate. Jason had said he didn’t know.

Envy coursed through Percy for a moment when Jason had said that. He had the luxury of not having the constant reminders that he shouldn’t be alive, he had time to think, to live. He didn’t have to do everything he wanted the second he could.

He could live and breathe and rest.

The Greek demigods, Percy and Nico in particular, and Annabeth by association with Percy, they had to run. They had to do everything they could because every day could be their last.

The graduation ended, and Percy and Annabeth got up, looking for their friends. Jason and Piper were the first to find them, having sat fairly close to them.

They found Damien and Kate next, and finally Sydney and Cameron. The latter couple had been talking to a couple, who Cameron introduced as his parents.

Percy could see the resemblance, immediately. He looked just like his father, with the same dark skin and tight curls, and warm brown eyes. Camerons mother smiled at all of them, and Percy didn’t miss the glance over them.

They managed to pry Cameron away from his parents, and they found a spot under a tree to talk and relax for a few minutes. 

While everyone else chatted, Annabeth and Percy moved away to another tree, close by, but far enough they could talk in peace. Annabeth took Percy’s hand in hers. She spoke quietly in Greek, “We really made it to graduation. We made it.”

Percy gave a breathless laugh, the reality sinking in again “We did. We made it Annabeth. We made it.”

Annabeth smiled and wiped a tear away. “I never thought…” she paused for a moment, “I never thought I would be here.”

Percy nodded along, leaning back to the tree, and closing his eyes. He gave a peaceful sigh. Annabeth moved closer to her, and he put an arm around her, savouring part of the moment.

He opened his eyes and turned to Annabeth, before giving her a kiss. He felt Ananbeth break out into a grin, and he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Annabeth laughed, a beautiful sound, and Percy laughed with her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pressed his forehead to hers and laughed again, before giving her another kiss.

He had four more years that he wanted to live.

And he would kiss her every day.

_Fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. It's done. Thank you so much to everyone who stuck with me, commented, gave kudos, and even just read this fic. It was my first Percy Jackson fic ever, and I have never been so proud to call something mine.
> 
> The story will continue in A World of Monsters.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading my story! This is my first story on AO3 so bare with me please. I am almost a writer over on Wattpad under the same name.


End file.
